Max Verstappen says his stunning pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix is ”a very special” after unexpectedly defeating both McLarens.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were favorites for fighting it on poles at Suzuki. Verstappen struggled with his car early in the weekend, but in his final attempt in the third quarter, he took the first pole of the season with Pip Norris as the pole in just 0.012 seconds.
“When I crossed the line, there’s a lot of happiness,” Verstappen said. “The whole qualification we just kept trying to improve the situation a little, and honestly, the final lap was really good.
“It was totally committed here and there and I had a lot of fun out there, I don’t know if I’ll actually keep it up, but it was really great and great for the team as well.
“It’s difficult. I mean, there were really great things elsewhere too, but if you see how our season started, even this weekend, I think it’s very unexpected, and I think it’s probably going to be very special.
“The final lap was just flat, meaning there are restrictions around here.
Despite his starting position, Verstappen admits that the McLarens have faster race trims on each of the first two circuits, and it’s unclear whether they have the ability to turn the pole into a victory.
“We did what we could. We don’t know now,” he admitted. “First, we have to wait and see what weather is going to be, and I think it is very important from then on to focus on ourselves, do our best we can, and of course, run the race in the best possible way possible.
“We haven’t been able to compete with them this season, but we’re not just sitting there and embracing it, we’re going to try our best.
“But at the end of the day, it’s a very long championship and you need to keep scoring points anytime in the best possible way.