Max Verstappen has retained his pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix after race stewards decided not to impose a grid penalty following a near-miss with Lando Norris during qualifying. The incident occurred late in Q3 when Verstappen lost control of his car on an out lap at the high-speed 130-R corner, forcing Norris to swerve onto the grass to avoid a collision.
The stewards issued Verstappen with a reprimand but stopped short of a grid drop, which would have impacted his title chances. The Dutchman can secure his second Drivers' Championship on Sunday if he wins the race and sets the fastest lap. Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert expressed surprise at the leniency, stating that the dangerous nature of the incident warranted a stronger penalty.
Charles Leclerc will start second, less than a tenth off pole, with Carlos Sainz third. Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth, ahead of Fernando Alonso and George Russell in seventh. The grid is now set for what promises to be an exciting race at Suzuka.
