SUZUKA, Japan – Max Verstappen secured victory at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, claiming his inaugural win of the current season after achieving only his third triumph in 17 races. However, he had to deliver what his Red Bull team engineer described as an impeccable performance to clinch the title.
Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive win at the Suzuka track in central Japan, disrupting the streak of McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who had claimed the initial two victories of the season in Australia and China.
“we still have some tasks ahead of us," Verstappen stated. "but it demonstrates that if we get every detail right, we can be at the forefront."
He did just that.
The four-time consecutive Formula 1 champion, Verstappen began from pole position after recording a lap time that broke the circuit record during qualifying; he described it as "crazy." Norris finished in second place with Piastri securing third. Despite some rainfall earlier, the track remained dry throughout the event without any incidents.
Charles Leclerc from Ferrari secured the fourth position, closely followed by George Russell from Mercedes and his teammate Kimi Antonelli who came in at sixth place. In his debut race for Red Bull’s main squad, Japanese racer Yuki Tsunoda ended up finishing 12th.
“Keep pushing,” Verstappen stated. “Incredible. It’s been a fantastic weekend for us.”
After three out of 24 races, Norris tops the driver rankings with 62 points compared to Verstappen’s 61.
The weekend shifted direction when Verstappen secured the top spot with an unprecedented lap during Saturday's qualifying session. On Sunday’s race, there was just one notable event—a situation now referred to as the "lawn-mowing incident."
Many of the drivers engaged in close competition around the 20-lap point, with Verstappen and Norris emerging from their pit stops nearly simultaneously. However, Norris had to drive through the grass when attempting to pass Verstappen since he couldn’t find an entry back onto the track.
"He ended up in the grass," Verstappen stated over the radio.
Norris stated he had no issues with Verstappen.
Norris stated, "He held the position and had every right to act as he did. He maintained his lead. Everything condensed into a single moment. And Max is the last person I’d anticipate giving me an opening."
Race stewards agreed.
Following the race, Verstappen acknowledged Japan’s Honda, which will conclude its stint as the supplier for the Red Bull team at the end of this season. Notably, his victory was achieved at the Suzoka track managed by Honda.
Pushing really hard towards the finish line made it exciting," Verstappen stated. "Both McLaren cars maintained intense pressure. Despite not ceasing our efforts to enhance the vehicle, we managed to bring out its optimal performance today.
Absolutely, beginning from the pole position — that’s what allowed me to secure victory in this race.
Norris stayed closely behind Verstappen throughout most of the race, finding it impossible to overtake on the tight Suzuka track.
"I had a clear view of Max throughout the entire race, yet I couldn't really make up ground," Norris stated, expressing no surprise at Verstappen’s perfect performance which gave him no opportunities.
"I don't require anybody to inform me about what Max is capable of accomplishing," he stated.
Piastri and Norris both indicated that their vehicles have shown slight superiority over many competitors this season. However, the difference in performance compared to leading teams like Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari remains minimal.
I believe we hold a slight edge," Piastri stated. "However, even the smallest error could allow significant competitors to take advantage.
On Sunday, the race began cleanly as Verstappen took the lead, with the front-runners slotting into position behind him. Over the first few laps, Verstappen gradually increased his gap and had built up a two-second lead over Norris by lap 10 out of 53 total laps, maintaining this margin through lap 15.
Initially, Antonelli took the lead midway through the race when he opted to stay on his first set of tires for a longer period. At just 18 years old, he became the youngest driver to have led an F1 race. Furthermore, he secured the fastest lap during this event, making him the youngest person to achieve such a feat as well.
After completing 32 laps, Verstappen reclaimed the top position with just a 1.3-second advantage over Norris and a 3.4-second edge above Piastri. During Lap 36, his team communicated via radio, "Give it everything from now on."
He went full throttle right up to his 64th career victory.