In Suzuka, Max Verstappen, the runaway leader of the series, showcased his dominant form on Sunday, clinching victory at the Japanese Grand Prix and moving one step closer to securing his third consecutive Formula One drivers’ championship.
Starting from pole position, the Red Bull driver secured his 13th win of the season, bouncing back after missing the podium just a week ago in Singapore. Lando Norris of McLaren secured second place, trailing Verstappen by 19.4 seconds, while Australian rookie Oscar Piastri, also from McLaren, claimed his first-ever F1 podium by finishing third.
With Verstappen’s victory, Red Bull secured the constructors’ title for this year, marking their sixth overall and second consecutive championship win.
Verstappen extended his lead over his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez to 177 points. He has the opportunity to clinch his third consecutive championship title at the Qatar Grand Prix, scheduled for October 6-9.
However, it was a challenging day for Perez, who received a penalty for colliding with Haas driver Kevin Magnussen and subsequently retired from the race after serving the penalty.
Verstappen’s incredible 10-race winning streak came to an end at the Marina Bay circuit in Singapore, motivating him to make a strong comeback in Japan. He dominated every session at the high-speed Suzuka track, where he sealed last year’s championship in a rain-shortened race.
The weather conditions on Sunday were perfect, allowing Verstappen to make the most of the opportunity.
The race began with an exciting battle between Verstappen, Piastri, and Norris, as they went wheel-to-wheel in the initial stages. However, the Red Bull driver held onto his lead through the first two turns.
The safety car was deployed on the first lap when Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas made contact with another car, resulting in debris on the track. Verstappen quickly regained his lead after his first pit stop and remained unchallenged for the rest of the race.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished in fourth place, followed by Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.
