Before the season began, there was a sense that the RB21 could be a wildcard at the start of the championship. And in Japan, Red Bull once again showed how they can go from a very complicated Friday—where simulator data didn’t match what they found on track—to an unexpected leap forward on Saturday by making use of what they had learned.
Suzuka pole was partly down to this very aspect: on a circuit that, at least on paper, should have suited the Milton Keynes car, the RB21 remained unpredictable, constantly chasing that ideal window to extract the perfect lap.
But to extract that perfect lap, someone needs to be able to tame the car, and today there was a lot of Max Verstappen in that pole—able to surprise not only his team, but also himself, as evidenced by the scream at the end of qualifying that spoke volumes about his satisfaction with such an unexpected result.
Yesterday, at the end of free practice, the four-time world champion didn’t hide the fact that the car’s balance was far from ideal and that many small aspects weren’t working as hoped—during a weekend where Red Bull had also introduced its first minor updates. And here lies the key: on a track like Suzuka, where precision and pushing to the edge are essential to finding time, a lack of confidence in the car can be more damaging than on other circuits.
As is often the case, the Milton Keynes team made the most of Friday’s data, tweaking the setup piece by piece, improving in every area. These small improvements, one after another, helped build confidence in the RB21—enough to allow Max to extract a stunning lap.
“We tried to do our best, I think, to get the best possible balance with the car, but it wasn’t easy even in qualifying. Still, session after session, we kept making small improvements, and I think that’s what made the difference,” Verstappen said after qualifying—on a lap where he found what had been McLaren’s strength on Friday: balance and tire management over a single lap.
“For the final lap, I just pushed to the maximum. Around here, being on the limit—or maybe even a little beyond in some places—is incredibly rewarding. It’s crazy, and Formula 1 cars here, especially through Sector 1, are incredible. And now, with the new asphalt, the grip is even higher. So pushing is even harder,” the Dutchman added.
Without a doubt, mistakes from the two McLaren drivers helped, with a MCL39 that still confirmed its pace—gapping Ferrari and Mercedes by three tenths—but Verstappen made the most of a Red Bull that only shows its potential in flashes.
Keeping the two McLaren cars of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri behind won’t be easy, but the hope is to make the most of the opportunity. “Definitely. For us, being back on pole here is a real strength, but now we focus on tomorrow. There might be some rain, but we’ll do our best.”
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