Japanese Grand Prix 2025: Live F1 race coverage

For the first time this Formula 1 season, a McLaren will not start on pole position for a Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen surprised the grid, and himself, by snatching pole position ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for the Japanese Grand Prix. While Verstappen admitted earlier this week that he was lacking “confidence” in the RB21, Red Bull’s challenger for the 2025 season, the defending Drivers’ champion delivered one of his most impressive qualifying performances, taking P1 away from the blazing McLaren duo.

Still, Norris and Piastri will be right behind him when the lights go out in Suzuka, looking to make it three wins in three grands prix for McLaren this season. Norris took the win in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, and Piastri took victory at the Chinese Grand Prix two weeks ago.

Here is the provisional starting grid for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix:

If you are looking for tire strategies for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, we have you covered here.

We will be covering the race live when lights go out at 1:00 a.m. Eastern, so come back early and often!

Updates are either in Eastern time (pre- and post-race) or by Lap number.

Live updates for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix

Lap 8: Verstappen has extended his lead over Norris to over two seconds. The current top ten: Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Russell, Antonelli, Hamilton, Hadjar, Albon, and Bearman.

Lap 7: Lewis Hamilton, starting on the hard compound, has picked up a spot and is in P7, behind a pair of Mercedes drivers.

Lap 5: Verstappen is told that the upshift issue should improve over the next few laps.

He has pulled out of DRS range to Norris behind him, who remains in P2. Piastri is within DRS range of his teammate in P3. One wonders how McLaren is going to play this with both Norris and Piastri on the medium compound to begin the race.

Lap 4: Verstappen radios in again that the upshifts are worse in the first sector.

Lap 3: Verstappen radios in that his upshifts are “again really bad.”

Lap 2: Update to the pre-race tire choices. Esteban Ocon, running down in P17, is also on the hard compound.

Lap 1: Verstappen holds onto the lead over Norris. The Red Bull driver angled his RB21 towards the inside line when pulling into his spot on the grid, and was able to slam the door on Norris off the line. Norris has settled into P2 behind Verstappen, with Piastri in P3.

Lap 1: They are racing in Japan.

12:59: For those wondering about tire choices. Lance Stroll and Jack Doohan (starting P20 and P19, respectively) are on the softs. Lewis Hamilton and Gabriel Bortoleto are on the hards, and everyone else is on the C2 medium tire.

12:51: I should warn you all that I spent the hours ahead of this race finalizing our taxes for the past year. So if I seem snarkier or more on edge than usual … there you go.

12:47: Christian Horner tells F1TV that McLaren has the “dominant” car right now, and for Max Verstappen to keep Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri behind him will require one “hell of a job.”

12:45: Anthem time in Suzuka.

12:41: Speaking with James Hinchcliffe, Alpine Team Principal Oliver Oakes indicates that it will likely be a one-stop race today in Japan.

12:26: F1TV reports that Isack Hadjar’s seat inside his VCARB02 is “moving.”

This comes after Hadjar was dealing with a seat belt issue during qualifying that was causing him some pain and discomfort in a rather … sensitive area.

12:21: Well, we’re awake and writing. Technically speaking that is.

Anyway, reconnaissance laps are underway at Suzuka. The rain has come and gone in Japan, and all the drivers are on slick tires for their warm-up laps. Looks like everyone will be on the slicks to begin.

Again, for information on the tire strategies available for the Japanese Grand Prix, we have you covered here.