It is the Dutchman’s first pole since last year’s Austrian Grand Prix, his fourth in a row at Suzuka, meaning he has always been quickest since the introduction of the current generation of cars. It is Red Bull’s ninth Japanese Grand Prix pole, its 104th in total.

Verstappen was just fractionally faster than the McLaren duo: Lando Norris was second, 12 thousandths of a second slower, with Oscar Piastri third at a distance of 44 thousandths.

The Pirelli Pole Position Award was presented to the four time world champion by Jean Alesi. The Frenchman raced 12 times at Suzuka, his best result being a third place with Ferrari in 1994. Alesi, who is very popular in Japan, also raced in one (1995) of the two Pacific Grand Prix events held at Aida. His Formula 1 career ended here in Suzuka in 2001, having taken part in 201 grands prix, with one win to his name, in Canada in 1995.

THE DAY ON TRACK

All three compounds were used in the third free practice session. The five drivers who did not use the Hard yesterday - Verstappen, Tsunoda, Norris, Ocon and Bearman – did so today, although the McLaren driver only did a single scrubbing-in lap.

In qualifying the only splash of yellow in an otherwise totally red picture in the context of tyre use, was down to Hamilton who opted for the Medium for his first run in Q1. Today’s pole time is 1”214 faster than that set by Verstappen last year.

MARIO ISOLA - PIRELLI DIRECTOR OF MOTORSPORT

“Once again we witnessed a qualifying session that was exciting from the beginning, all the way to the chequered flag and beyond, with pole position changing hands three times in the final minute, ending with the top three within 44 thousandths of a second.

“Tomorrow’s race is also shaping up to be a thriller, because the weather is uncertain, with the forecast for rain definitely expected in the morning, with the possibility of it also falling from 2pm onwards, while if it’s dry, then various strategies are possible. Firstly, it’s worth underlining that all three compounds can have a part to play. The Soft, which has even offered a good level of performance beyond one flying lap could on paper be used by those looking to do a one-stop and those opting for a two-stop.

“The data from the weekend has tipped the scales marginally towards a one-stop strategy, with the fastest option being one set of Medium and one of Hard. Simulation suggests the two-stop is not that far off, with all combinations possible, whether using two or all three compounds. The rain could play an important role, even if it does not fall during the race. In fact, depending on its strength, track conditions could revert to those seen yesterday morning, before the cars had starting running. That could make graining more likely and therefore the choice could swing back towards a two-stop. As you can see, there are so many variables in play, ensuring unpredictability and a great show.”