F1, Japan GP: Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton battle for pole

Four-time champion Max Verstappen has pinched pole position with a superb final lap for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix to edge McLaren Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Reigning Formula One world champion Max Verstappen has shocked the all-conquering McLarens to put his Red Bull on pole for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.

For the first time since Austria last year, the Dutchman topped the qualifying timesheet with a stunning last-gasp lap to deny Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri what was expected to be a McLaren front-row lockout.

Two weeks after converting his maiden F1 pole into a third career race victory, Aussie ace Piastri appeared poised to repeat the dose in Suzuka after putting a two-tenths gap on the field in the dying stages of Saturday’s cutthroat qualifying.

Max Verstappen has qualified fastest for the Japan GP. Picture: Getty Images

But the McLaren star was first pipped to provisional pole by teammate and title rival Lando Norris, before Verstappen came from the clouds with a lap that nobody – not even he – saw coming.

“Yeah I am (surprised),” Verstappen conceded.

“The last lap was just flat out. Around here being on the limit or even a bit over in places is incredibly rewarding.

“This is a proper highlight for us to be back on pole here but we will look to tomorrow … we will do our very best.”

Verstappen’s 41stcareer pole position will go down as one of the four-time world champion’s very best, defying the Red Bull’s status as arguably the fourth-best car on the grid with a lap-record run around the high speed Suzuka circuit.

Max Verstappen achieved his 41st pole position. Pictuer: Getty Images

Piastri had a final chance to usurp Verstappen but an error in the first sector cruelled his chance at becoming the first driver since Lewis Hamilton to back up his maiden pole position with another in the following race.

“Just that last lap it didn’t quite come together as I wanted,” Piastri conceded.

“Incredibly tight margins. I think it is still all to play for (on Sunday). I think we have a great car ... we’ve got good pace.

“Max has obviously done a massive job to be on pole but … we are still in the fight for the win.”

The Aussie will celebrate his 24th birthday on Sunday and give himself every chance of outdriving Verstappen and Norris to underline his credentials as a genuine world championship contender.

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri will start from third. Picture: AP

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc produced the fourth-fastest time, ahead of Mercedes duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.

Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar defied a seatbelt issue in Q1 that threatened to derail his afternoon and produced a standout lap to finish seventh-fastest, ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Alex Albon and Haas’ first-year driver, Ollie Bearman.

In a curious twist of fate Verstappen’s demoted Red Bull teammate, Liam Lawson, out-qualified his replacement, Yuki Tsunoda, though both drivers failed to reach Q3.

Yuki Tsunoda has dominated coverage with his promotion to Red Bull Racing, but he was out-qualified by the man he replaced, Liam Lawson. Picture: Getty Images

Lawson was given just two races to prove his worth before Red Bull sent him back down to sister team Racing Bulls, with Japanese driver Tsunoda promoted for his home grand prix.

It sets up an entertaining subplot for Sunday’s race, with the two drivers likely to come wheel to wheel starting 14th and 15th on the grid.

Gold Coaster Jack Doohan’s horror weekend continued, failing to secure a Q1 exit for the second consecutive race.

He will start on the back row of the grid on Sunday, two days after his high speed crash during FP2.

Originally published as F1, Japan GP: Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton battle for pole