Pole position qualifier Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka Circuit on April 05, 2025 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Formula 1 News: 2025 Japanese GP Post-Qualifying Quotes

All ten Formula 1 teams plus tire supplier Pirelli provided quotes after qualifying for the 2025 Japanese GP at Suzuka.  Pole was won by Max Verstappen.

Red Bull

Max Verstappen, 1st, 1;26.983

“It’s been an incredible qualifying for us even though the weekend has been quite tough so far. We kept working and the changes that we made going into qualifying helped as we were lacking a bit of pace before. The car got a little better and we could attack the corners a bit more. During qualifying we kept trying to find little gains and drive to the limit meaning that we improved nicely, which made the difference today. Every lap that we did we built on and learned from. We maximized what we had, didn’t make any mistakes in the lap and it was a great result in the end. Pole was a surprise for everyone as so far this year we have not been the best on race pace, so I am very happy for the Team. Tomorrow the rain might make it a bit more of an interesting race and we will do our best to get the best possible result.”

Yuki Tsunoda, 15th, 1:28.000

“There’s some frustration today. I think the warmup didn’t go as I wanted for that final lap and it was pretty messy, especially in the first sector. We are still learning, and I thought the warmup was ok and we would maybe be a little compromised, but the penalty was pretty big. I thought we would be able to build from Q1 but that wasn’t the case. At least my confidence in the car feels good now, I just wasn’t able to put it together today and that is a shame. I think the positive is I have started to understand the car well. FP1 and FP3 felt good and I started well today, it was just that final lap, the car is quite sensitive on its tires, and I started to feel that in Q2, the pace was there to get to Q3 and I need to be able to maximize it. My mindset all weekend has been to just enjoy the situation, the car, being with the Team, being at Suzuka, and I felt more calm than usual but at the same time I felt responsible to perform. It’s my home GP, so I will stay focussed tomorrow and try my best, a bit of rain could help us move through the field.”

Yuki Tsunoda of Japan driving the (22) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB21 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Japanese GP at Suzuka Circuit on April 04, 2025 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool //

Christian Horner, Team Principal

“An unbelievable lap from Max to take a fourth consecutive pole position here in Suzuka! We’ve turned the car upside down this weekend and Max has worked hard with his Team to get the car in the window. Collectively, they have done a great job and then Max went and nailed it. That was one of his best laps in qualifying ever, plus a new lap record; truly outstanding. It was a very well deserved, if not slightly unexpected pole. It was unfortunate for Yuki who just lost a couple of tenths in the first sector that cost him a chance of Q3. He’s settled in well and has been right there all weekend until that moment. He will race well from there tomorrow.”

Christian Horner, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing looks on in the garage during practice ahead of the F1 Japanese GP at Suzuka Circuit on April 04, 2025 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool //

McLaren

Lando Norris, 2nd, 1:26.995

“We can be happy with that. The team have done a great job this weekend and I feel that I got everything out of the car today. The final lap felt strong because I was on the limit. It’s going to be an exciting race, we’re both starting up at the front and the weather conditions are looking mixed. Max is going to put up a good fight, but we’ve been here before and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes on track during practice ahead of the F1 Japanese GP at Suzuka Circuit on April 04, 2025 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Andy Hone/LAT Images)

Oscar Piastri, 3rd, 1:27.027

“It’s good to get both cars up there in the top three today. I felt good through much of Qualifying, and especially at the start of Q3 but that last lap didn’t quite come together as I wanted, so there was a little bit left on the table. We said coming into the season that there were going to be incredibly tight margins and today proved that.

“It’s all to play for tomorrow and we’ve got a great car. We don’t know what the weather’s going to do, but we’ve been quick on both dry and wet tracks already this year, so we should be up there fighting for the win. Let’s see what we can do.”

Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes on track during final practice ahead of the F1 Japanese GP at Suzuka Circuit on April 05, 2025 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Zak Mauger/LAT Images for McLaren)

Andrea Stella, Team Principal

“It’s been a good afternoon overall in which we’ve been competitive with both cars in every Qualifying session. We looked like we were on the way to Pole Position when Max managed to pull off what looks like a near-perfect lap – so credit to Max.

“On our side, we are still happy. P2 and P3 are good starting positions for the race tomorrow, during which the weather may offer some variables. The job before then is to prepare for all scenarios, and make sure we can capitalize on the car’s performance in race trim that has looked very strong so far this year in both wet and dry conditions.”

Ferrari

Charles Leclerc, 4th, 1:27.299

“I put everything into my best lap in Q3 and there was nothing more we could have got out of the car today. P4 is not a satisfying result and we have to keep working to close the gap to McLaren and Red Bull, with the target of getting back to winning races. As a whole however, it has been a positive weekend so far. I feel a lot more comfortable in the car after the changes we made to the set-up yesterday, which also gave me confidence behind the wheel going into Qualifying. I’m looking forward to seeing how it will feel in the race tomorrow, and depending on the weather conditions, to test this approach over a race distance.”

16 LECLERC Charles (mco), Scuderia Ferrari SF-25, action during the Formula 1 Lenovo Japanese GP 2025, 3rd round of the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship from April 4 to 6, 2025 on the Suzuka Circuit, in Suzuka, Japan – Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI for Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton, 8th, 1:27.610

“It was a challenging Saturday for us. We made some changes to the car ahead of qualifying which, unfortunately, didn’t deliver the improvements we were aiming for. The car felt more balanced in the earlier stages, but I experienced significant understeer in Q3 which led to a couple of small mistakes that cost us.

“This result isn’t a true reflection of the car’s potential. There’s performance to be found and the team has been working incredibly hard behind the scenes. We’ll analyze the data overnight and do everything we can to come back stronger in the race.”

44 HAMILTON Lewis (gbr), Scuderia Ferrari SF-25, action during the Formula 1 Lenovo Japanese GP 2025, 3rd round of the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship from April 4 to 6, 2025 on the Suzuka Circuit, in Suzuka, Japan – Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI for Ferrari

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal

“It was a decent quali for Charles, even if I feel we were in the game from the start and then didn’t put everything together in Q3. Lewis struggled a bit more there, after having a similar pace to Charles in Q1 and Q2. McLaren is still a step ahead, so we must continue to push to develop the car more.

“It is difficult to predict what we can do in the race, as the forecast is for rain, at least overnight, which could be our first experience of a wet track this weekend. Even if it’s dry, but the wind changes direction, here at Suzuka that means we will find a very different track. Overall, I feel we made a step ahead in qualifying and we must continue to work in this direction in the race to reach the targets we have set ourselves.”