Nico Rosberg will start the 2016 Formula 1 Emirates Japanese Grand Prix from pole position after beating Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton by just 0.013s in qualifying at Suzuka on Saturday. Ferrari and Red Bull were breathing down their necks, with the Scuderia winning that battle as Kimi Raikkonen took third and Sebastian Vettel - carrying a three-place grid penalty for his collision in Malaysia - fourth.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time |
| 1 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1:30.647 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:30.660 |
| 3 | Kimi Raikkonen | Ferrari | 1:30.949 |
| 4 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:31.178 |
| 5 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull | 1:31.240 |
| 6 | Sergio Pérez | Force India | 1:31.961 |
| 7 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 1:31.028 |
| 8 | Romain Grosjean | Haas | 1:31.961 |
| 9 | Nico Hulkenberg | Force India | 1:32.142 |
| 10 | Esteban Gutiérrez | Haas | 1:32.547 |
| 11 | Valterri Botas | Williams | 1:32.315 |
| 12 | Felipe Massa | Williams | 1:32.380 |
| 13 | Daniil Kvyat | Toro Rosso | 1:32.623 |
| 14 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Toro Rosso | 1:32.685 |
| 15 | Fernando Alonso | McLaren | 1:32.689 |
| 16 | Jolyon Palmer | Renault | 1:32.807 |
| 17 | Jenson Button | McLaren | 1:32.851 |
| 18 | Kevin Magnussen | Renault | 1:33.023 |
| 19 | Marcus Ericsson | Sauber | 1:33.222 |
| 20 | Felipe Nasr | Sauber | 1:33.332 |
| 21 | Esteban Ocon | Manor | 1:33.353 |
| 22 | Pascal Wehrlein | Manor | 1:33.561 |
