Verstappen Wins Japanese Grand Prix for Fourth Consecutive Year

Max Verstappen wins the Japanese Grand Prix for the fourth consecutive year, holding off Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in a thrilling race.

Max Verstappen ended his early season struggles with a dominant fourth consecutive pole-to-flag victory at the Japanese Grand Prix. He held off the previously dominant McLarens with ease, securing his first win of the year and his 64th Grand Prix victory. Verstappen finished 1.4 seconds ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris, who was second place.

Verstappen's Post-Race Comments

Verstappen expressed his happiness with the win, saying, “I am incredibly happy. This weekend started off quite tough but we didn't give up, kept improving the car. Today it was on its best form.” He became the first driver to win four times in a row at Suzuka, showcasing his skill and consistency.

Norris acknowledged Verstappen's strong performance, stating, “Max drove a good race today, no mistakes. It was a flat-out race from start to finish, so tough, but just not enough today, nothing special that we had that we could get Max on.” The victory reduced Norris's lead over Verstappen in the drivers' standings to just one point, setting the stage for a thrilling championship battle.

Oscar Piastri rounded out the podium in third place on his 24th birthday, driving the second McLaren. Notably, the top six finishers maintained their starting positions on the grid, showcasing a consistent performance from the leading drivers.

Clean and Incident-Free Race

The Japanese Grand Prix saw all 20 cars cross the finish line without any interruptions. The race was marked by the absence of rain, trackside grass fires that had disrupted practice, and not a single yellow flag was waved throughout the 53 laps, making for a smooth and incident-free event.

Remaining Points Finishers

The rest of the points were filled by several notable drivers. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished fourth, followed by the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli in fifth and sixth. Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, secured seventh place after gaining one position during the race. Rookie Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls finished eighth, Alex Albon from Williams took ninth, and teenager Ollie Bearman secured the last point in tenth for Haas.

The stewards decided not to take any action regarding the incident between Verstappen and Norris during the pit stops. Verstappen regained the lead after the pit stops, but briefly lost it to 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who became the youngest driver to lead a Grand Prix.

Australian Oscar Piastri pushed his teammate Lando Norris hard over the last 10 laps. Piastri felt he had the pace to overtake Verstappen, but ultimately couldn't capitalize on the opportunity. Norris maintained his position, allowing Verstappen to cruise to victory.

Max Verstappen wins Japanese Grand Prix for fourth straight year pic.twitter.com/l5bbVXidpt

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Piastri emphasized the importance of track position, saying, “The track position around here is so important. Yesterday was the day you win the race and didn't do a good enough job.” He added, “I felt if I had the track position I could go and get Max but that is what happens when you qualify behind.” Piastri acknowledged that qualifying behind Verstappen hindered his chances of winning.

Max Verstappen got away cleanly at the start of the Japanese Grand Prix, despite damp track conditions and overcast skies at the figure-of-eight circuit. Although he reported early issues with changing gears, Verstappen quickly opened up a two-second gap over Lando Norris.

Hamilton's Aggressive Start

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton took a gamble by starting the race on hard tires. He successfully slid past Isack Hadjar on turn one early in the race, showcasing his aggressive driving style.

Tsunoda's Impressive Debut

Yuki Tsunoda, making his Red Bull debut after replacing Liam Lawson, made a notable move by overtaking Lawson for 13th place in the early laps. Tsunoda ultimately finished 12th, while Lawson finished 17th for Racing Bulls.

Norris's Frustration with Verstappen

Lando Norris managed to cut the gap to Verstappen by half a second by the time they made their pit stops on lap 22. However, Norris expressed frustration, saying, “He was still ahead, it kind of squeezes into one, and Max is the last guy I expect to give me any space.” Norris felt that Verstappen had forced him onto the grass as they exited the pit lane.