Yesterday at Suzuka, Max Verstappen delivered another stunning performance, clinching both pole position and a commanding victory at the Japanese Grand Prix. The reigning world champion showcased his unmatched prowess on this challenging circuit, proving once again why he’s at the top of his game. As we dive into the details of the race, let’s explore the current standings in the F1 hierarchy after this thrilling round.
Max Verstappen’s weekend didn’t start smoothly at Suzuka, but he turned it around spectacularly, maintaining his dominance in Japan. This win marks his 64th career victory and adds to Red Bull’s impressive tally with their eighth win in this country and the 123rd overall in their history.
McLaren dominated early in the Suzuka practices but couldn’t quite seal the deal with a pole position or win. Still, they had reason to celebrate with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri achieving second and third places, respectively, bringing McLaren’s total podium finishes at this race to an impressive 29.
A remarkable breakthrough came from Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who set two new records by the time he crossed the finish line in sixth. He became the youngest driver ever to lead a Grand Prix and also earned the fastest lap, unseating Max Verstappen’s prior records.
This year, McLaren has been touted as the team to beat, but despite their strong showing at Suzuka, Norris couldn’t overtake Verstappen. Meanwhile, Piastri found himself stuck in third. Both drivers credited Verstappen’s phenomenal pole lap as the defining moment of the race, as they were unable to pass him for all 53 laps.
While McLaren has been seen as the fastest since pre-season testing in Bahrain, Verstappen’s sheer brilliance allowed Red Bull to stay competitive in Japan. Even though the track’s high-speed corners played to McLaren’s MCL39 strengths, Verstappen managed to edge out Norris, making the race an intense head-to-head battle across all 53 laps.
Mercedes emerged as the third force this weekend, with George Russell showing impressive speed in practice. However, come Saturday, Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari outpaced him, leaving Russell in fifth on the grid. Throughout the race, Russell seemed unable to apply significant pressure on Leclerc, while his teammate, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, pursued an alternate strategy. By extending his initial stint, Antonelli gained a tire edge towards the race’s end.
In terms of performance, Mercedes was 0.26 seconds slower per lap compared to Red Bull and McLaren, while Ferrari trailed by 0.28 seconds. Isack Hajdar’s strong run earned him a solid finish in the points, showing a commendable pace just 0.59 seconds per lap behind Verstappen’s winning speed.
Williams’ Alexander Albon had a low-key race but managed to demonstrate solid pace, clocking in just a bit slower than Hadjar and trailing the top Red Bull and McLarens by 0.62 seconds per lap. Aston Martin, Haas, and Alpine followed closely, each averaging around 0.91 to 0.94 seconds slower per lap.
Sauber, however, continues to struggle against their midfield competitors, with drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto clocking in over 1.3 seconds per lap slower than frontrunners Verstappen and Norris.
As the dust settles in Japan, these performances set the stage for what promises to be an exhilarating next chapter in the season.
