Mercedes dished out some more pain to rivals Ferrari in qualifying at Suzuka, with brilliant strategy helping Lewis Hamilton take his 80th F1 pole position ahead of team mate Valtteri Bottas, as Sebastian Vettel slumped to a disappointing ninth in changeable conditions. Mercedes read the tricky weather perfectly in Japan, ensuring that both of their drivers were able to bang in their best laps early in Q3 before the rain arrived to secure their fifth consecutive one-two in qualifying at Suzuka. Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull on a day when team mate Daniel Ricciardo dropped out of Q2 with suspected power unit issues. The Dutchman finished ahead of the leading Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen, with the Haas of Romain Grosjean a spendid P5. It was a great qualifying, meanwhile, for Toro Rosso, with Brendon Hartley claiming his best ever grid position in sixth, one place ahead of team mate Pierre Gasly at the track that engine supplier Honda built back in 1962. Esteban Ocon was eighth, ahead of Vettel, with his Force India team mate Sergio Perez winding up P10. This, however, is a day that would be remembered for a Mercedes 'masterstroke'... Eliminated in Q1

16	Nico Hulkenberg	Renault	1m 30.361
17	Sergey Sirotkin	Williams	1m 30.372
18	Fernando Alonso	McLaren	1m 30.573
19	Stoffel Vandoorne	McLaren	1m 31.041
20	Marcus Ericsson	Sauber	1m 31.213

Eliminated in Q2

11	Charles Leclerc	Sauber	1m 29.864
12	Kevin Magnussen	Haas	1m 30.226
13	Carlos Sainz	Renault	1m 30.490
14	Lance Stroll	Williams	1m 30.714
15	Daniel Ricciardo	Red Bull	NC

Top 10

1	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1m 27.760
2	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	1m 28.059
3	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	1m 29.057
4	Kimi Raikkonen	Ferrari	1m 29.521
5	Romain Grosjean	Haas	1m 29.761
7	Pierre Gasly	Toro Rosso	1m 30.093
8	Esteban Ocon	Force India	1m 30.126
9	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrarri	1m 32.192
10	Sergio Pérez	Force India	1m 37.229