Max Verstappen remains unbeaten over the single lap this season after claiming pole for the Japanese Grand Prix, with four from four. Imperious at a track for which he has a great affection, the world champion put his Red Bull through its paces at Suzuka with an ease that belies this formidable challenge. With his teammate Sergio Pérez claiming second, there was an undeniable sense that Red Bull’s early season superiority was confirmed with no little finality.
Verstappen has not looked at any time as if he had taken his eye off the ball this weekend. He was pushed hard by Pérez, who was six-hundredths back, but the closest of the rest of the field was McLaren’s Lando Norris, who put in a fine run to take third but was still almost three-tenths off the front two.
