Tomorrow's F1 starting grid for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix

F1

Max Verstappen is set to start on pole for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, but he has two McLarens breathing down his neck. Here's how the starting grid looks for Sunday's race

Max Verstappen raises fist in the air after securing pole in qualifying for the 2025 F1 Japanese Grand Prix

Max Verstappen is set to start on pole for the 2025 Japanese GP

Red Bull

Max Verstappen will be at the front of the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix starting after snatching pole from the McLarens in the closing seconds of qualifying.

Scroll down to see how the full grid will look when it lines up for the third grand prix of the season, which starts at 6am in the UK — 2pm local time in Suzuka.

The scene is set for a battle royale, given that Verstappen and second-placed Lando Norris were split by just eight-thousandths of a second, with both drivers believing they go the most of their closely-matched cars. Oscar Piastri is likely to be in the mix too, starting in third.

Verstappen’s new team-mate Yuki Tsunoda will start deep in the midfield in fourteenth, having been knocked out at the second Q2 stage, visibly fighting to keep the car on track.

His predecessor, Liam Lawson starts one place ahead — also well behind his team-mate Isack Hadjar who will be seventh on the grid despite complaining of extreme discomfort with his lap belts at the start of qualifying.

Here’s how the grid will line up on Sunday morning, which takes into account Carlos Sainz’s three-place grid penalty for impeding Lewis Hamilton.

 

2025 Chinese Grand Prix starting grid

1

Max Verstappen 
Red Bull
1min 26.983sec
Max Verstappen 2025 head shot  

2

 

Lando Norris
McLaren
1min 26.995sec

 

Lando Norris 2025 head shot

3

Oscar Piastri
McLaren
1min 27.027sec
Oscar Piastri 2025 head shot  

4

 

Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
1min 27.299sec

 

Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari race suit

5

George Russell
Mercedes
1min 27.318sec
George Russell 2025 Mercedes portrait  

6

 

Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
1min 27.555sec

 

Kimi Antonelli 2025 head shot

7

Isack Hadjar
Racing Bulls
1min 27.569sec
Isack Hadjar 2024 portrait  

8

 

Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
1min 27.610sec

 

Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari race suit

9

Alex Albon
Williams
1min 27.615sec
Alex Albon 2025 head shot  

10

 

Oliver Bearman
Haas
1min 27.867sec

 

Oliver Bearman 2025 head shot

11

Pierre Gasly
Alpine
1min 27.822sec
Pierre Gasly 2025 head shot  

12

 

Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
1min 27.897sec

 

Fernando Alonso 2025 head shot

13

Liam Lawson
Racing Bulls
1min 27.906sec
Liam Lawson 2024 head shot Racing Bulls  

14

 

Yuki Tsunoda
Red Bull
1min 28.000sec

 

Yuki Tsunoda 2025 Red Bull head shot

15

Carlos Sainz
Williams
1min 27.836sec
(3-place grid penalty)
Carlos Sainz 2025 head shot  

16

 

Nico Hülkenberg
Sauber
1min 28.570sec

 

Nico Hulkenberg 2025 head shot

17

Gabriel Bortoleto
Sauber
1min 28.622sec
Gabriel Bortoleto 2025 head shot  

18

 

Esteban Ocon
Haas
1min 28.696sec

 

Esteban Ocon 2025 head shot

19

Jack Doohan
Alpine
1min 28.877sec
Jack Doohan 2025 head shot  

20

 

Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
1min 29.271sec

 

Lance Stroll 2025 head shot

2025 Japanese Grand Prix