Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - September 23, 2023 Red Bull's Max Verstappen in action during qualifying REUTERS/Androniki Christodoulou Acquire Licensing RightsSUZUKA, Japan, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen put Red Bull on pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix on Saturday with McLaren's Oscar Piastri joining the Dutch driver on the front row.
McLaren's Lando Norris qualified third with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc fourth.
Mexican Sergio Perez, Verstappen's closest title rival and team mate but a massive 151 points adrift after 15 of 22 rounds, qualified fifth.
Red Bull, whose run of 15 wins in a row ended in Singapore last weekend, are set to retain their constructors' title on Sunday but Verstappen will have to wait until at last the next race in Qatar to seal his third championship.
Writing by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Persons:
Max Verstappen, Androniki, Red Bull, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, McLaren's Lando Norris, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Mexican Sergio Perez, Verstappen's, Verstappen, Alan Baldwin, Peter Rutherford
Organizations:
Suzuka, REUTERS, Thomson
Locations:
Suzuka, Japan, Mexican, Singapore, Qatar, London