Motor racing-Verstappen on the verge of title success with Suzuka pole

SUZUKA, Japan -Max Verstappen put himself on course to wrap up a second successive Formula One title in the Japanese Grand Prix by edging Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc to pole position in qualifying at the Suzuka circuit on Saturday.

The 25-year-old hustled his Honda-powered Red Bull around the popular figure-of-eight layout in one minute, 29.304 seconds, beating Leclerc by just 0.010 seconds.

Carlos Sainz was 0.057 seconds off the pace in the other Ferrari in third.

Verstappen, however, is under investigation for dangerous driving after appearing to swerve into the path of McLaren's Lando Norris.

The Briton was forced to drive off the track and onto the grass to avoid contact and said he expected Verstappen to be penalised.

But replays showed the tail of the Red Bull, which Verstappen was warming up for a flying lap, snapping out of control on cold tyres.

"It was incredible to drive here again, of course very happy to be on pole but just super happy to be back here," said Verstappen, after taking the 18th pole of his career and the fifth this season.

Sunday, he added, "will be interesting with the weather, I'm quite confident we have a good car."

Verstappen leads Leclerc by 104 points in the overall standings and needs to score eight more than the Monegasque to wrap up proceedings on Sunday.

That means he will be champion if he wins with the fastest lap ahead of Leclerc.

But with rain affecting Friday's practice session and threatening to hit again on Sunday, the race could be far from straightforward.

Leclerc or Sainz could deliver Ferrari their first Suzuka win since Michael Schumacher's 2004 triumph.

Verstappen had been favourite for pole heading into the session after having set the fastest time in Saturday's final practice.

But