Max Verstappen showcased remarkable composure and skill to secure victory at the Japanese Grand Prix, fending off strong challenges from McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The Dutch driver’s performance, marked by a flawless race and a stellar pole position qualifying on Saturday, was hailed as one of his best weekends in Formula One by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
“The hard work was really done yesterday, but today Max was absolutely precise in the race,” Horner said. “McLaren were fast, but we managed to be a bit quicker to keep them behind.”
Meanwhile, Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli made history by setting the fastest lap, becoming the youngest driver ever to achieve this feat at just 18 years and 224 days old. He also briefly led the race, setting another record as the youngest driver to do so.
Verstappen’s qualifying session was a nail-biter, as he edged out Norris by just 0.012 seconds during a dramatic final lap. This came after a six-minute delay due to a trackside grass fire, the fifth of the weekend.
In the race, Verstappen quickly established a two-second lead over Norris, a gap that proved difficult for McLaren to close. Their chance to challenge further came during pit stops when Norris emerged almost side-by-side with Verstappen. However, Verstappen held his ground, forcing Norris to cut across the grass to avoid contact. Norris later clarified that it was a racing incident, emphasizing that Verstappen’s defensive move was expected.
Verstappen maintained his lead to secure the win, with Norris finishing second and Piastri taking third place. This victory brought Verstappen within just one point of Norris in the drivers’ championship standings.
“I’m incredibly happy,” Verstappen said. “It’s been a tough weekend, but we never gave up. We kept improving the car, and today it was at its best. Starting from pole really helped us secure the win.”
Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz faced controversy after finishing 14th, having arrived late for the pre-race national anthem due to a stomach issue. Verified by a doctor, this led to a €20,000 fine, with half suspended for a year. The FIA stated that the fine was reduced from €60,000 as per the rules, considering Sainz’s verified condition.
