Max P11 in Suzuka qualifying: 'We have a lot of problems'

Published on 28 March 2026 by Stefan Meens

Max Verstappen will start the Japanese Grand Prix from 11th on the grid after stranding in Q2 of qualifying. Kimi Antonelli took pole position ahead of Mercedes’ teammate George Russell. Oscar Piastri completed the top three in his McLaren.

“It was a bit like yesterday”, said Max after a challenging session. “We had issues with the aero and I couldn’t attack a single corner. We had a lot of oversteer into the corner but than in the middle of the corner the car wouldn’t turn. It’s weird and I don’t really know what to make of it. The bad thing is that I’m not even angry any more, I’m past that stage.”

Although the pace has not been there throughout the weekend, FP3 appeared to be a slight improvement. “The car was more stable at the rear but there was still a lot of understeer, but in quali the car keeps stepping out into the high-speed corners. In the middle of the corner, it turns into understeer. We have a lot of problems and it changes what the issue is.”

Ahead of the Sunday’s Grand Prix, Max remains realistic about the issues he has had with the starts thus far in 2026. “The car doesn’t stall, but the starts are still very bad.”

Based on the weekend’s form thus far, going into qualifying, the Red Bull’s pace has dropped the team back to the midfield, out of touch with the Mercedes, Ferraris and McLarens. It means Max and Hadjar are fighting with the likes of Audi, Alpine and Racing Bulls to get into the top ten shoot-out at the business end of qualifying.

Max comfortably progresses to Q2, with the two Aston Martins, both Cadillacs, Alex Albon (Williams) and Oliver Bearman (Haas) all stranding in Q1. At the start of the second segment, Max is right on the bubble after the first flurry of laps with the Dutchman clocking the tenth fastest time. He improves on his second run, but remains in tenth, to be demoted to eleventh in the dying seconds of the session by Arvin Lindblad in the sister team’s RB. Max’s teammate Hadjar did manage to squeeze the RB22 into Q3.

Esteban Ocon (Haas), Nico Hulkenberg (Audi), Liam Lawson (RB), Franco Colapinto (Alpine) and Carlos Sainz (Williams) join Max in the select club that do not qualify for Q3.

At the very front, Mercedes continue their imperious start to the season with Antonelli claiming his second pole position of his career, two tenths quicker than teammate Russell. The Ferraris and McLarens pick up the pieces with Piastri in third, Charles Leclerc in fourth, Lando Norris in fifth and Lewis Hamilton in sixth. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was ‘best of the rest, with Hadjar qualifying in eighth.

Results qualifying Japan: