Summary

  • Max Verstappen takes Japanese GP pole

  • McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri second and third

  • Ferraris of Leclerc and Hamilton fourth and eighth

  • Lawson and Tsunoda qualify 14th and 15th respectively

  • Another grass fire brings out red flag in Q2 after two in final practice

  • Listen to 5 Sports Extra commentary by selecting audio tab (UK only)

  • Get involved: #bbcf1

Live Reporting

Gary Rose

  1. The drivers who are currently in the elimination zone are Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, Oliver Bearman, Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson.

  2. Go! Go! Go!

    We're back up and running with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc swiftly getting back to it.

  3. Alice Powell
    British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    This will definitely disrupt your flow [as a driver] but then again it's the same for everybody.

    It will be the same sort of pressures for everyone in terms of needing to get on with it and setting a benchmark early.

  4. The fire has been put out so the session is about to resume with 8:26 on the clock.

  5. Harry Benjamin
    BBC F1 Commentator

    This is not what anyone wants to see and whatever they are doing it's not solving the issue, it's just slightly delaying it.

  6. Everyone is back in their respective garages while that grass fire is extinguished.

  7. Yep there's some more grass smouldering on the edge of the track.

    Clearly a traffic cone full of water was not used there.

  8. red flag

    Red flag

    The red flag is waved.

    Grass fire?

  9. George Russell is once again looking quick and he goes second fastest, 0.254s off Lando Norris.

  10. Lewis Hamilton leaps into second with a time that is a couple of tenths off Max Verstappen's time.

    The Ferrari is then nudged down to third as Lando Norris does a 1:27.146 to go fastest.

  11. Alice Powell
    British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Lando Norris is lighting up the timing sheet, this is going to be a fast time from him.

  12. Max Verstappen kicks off Q2 with a 1:27.502. Charles Leclerc crosses the line soon after but is three tenths slower than the Red Bull.

  13. Second qualifying starts

    Max Verstappen leads out the cars as the second part of qualifying starts.

    Max VerstappenGetty Images

  14. Alice Powell
    British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    For Isack Hadjar it will be the crotch belt being highly uncomfortable for him.

    You need to be comfortable at driving a Formula 1 car, being thrown from one side of the cockpit to the other and reaching speeds of over 180-190mph, so any discomfort is not going to be ideal for the concentration either.

  15. Good news for Isack Hadjar as he gets through to Q2 despite his issues. It sounds like they will sacrifice a run in the second part of qualifying so they have more time to try to sort the problem.

  16. IN

    1) Piastri

    2) Russell

    3) Norris

    4) Leclerc

    5) Hamilton

    6) Verstappen

    7) Tsunoda

    8) Antonelli

    9) Gasly

    10) Sainz

    11) Albon

    12) Bearman

    13) Hadjar

    14) Alonso

    15) Lawson

  17. OUT

    16) Hulkenberg

    17) Bortoleto

    18) Ocon

    19) Doohan

    20) Stroll

  18. First qualifying ends

    Oscar Piastri goes fastest in the first part of qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix.

  19. Oof, Liam Lawson sneaks into Q2 as an improvement moves him up to 15th.

    After racing for Red Bull in the first two races, this is the first time this season he has got out of Q1.

  20. Fernando Alonso improves but only to 11th. It drops Jack Doohan into the danger zone but he can't improve and is out.