Max Verstappen's Japanese GP Streak Under Threat

Verstappen's F1 dominance wants work in Japan

Max Verstappen's Red Bull struggles with new F1 regulations put his Japanese GP winning streak in doubt.

Red Bull's struggles with new F1 rules put Max Verstappen's Japanese GP streak at risk...

Max Verstappen's hopes of a fifth consecutive win at the Japanese Grand Prix are looking slim, with Mercedes dominating the early stages of the season. The Red Bull driver admitted that the Japanese GP is one of his favorite races, but struggles with the new F1 regulations have put his winning streak in doubt.

Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are leading the charge, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton close behind. Verstappen's struggles are a stark contrast to Mercedes' strong start, with one-two finishes in Australia and China.

A decade on since Max's first silverware in Suzuka 🏆#F1 || #JapaneseGP 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/kE8rkcKkBy

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 24, 2026

Red Bull and Verstappen are bouncing back from a rough start to the Formula One season. McLaren's also facing challenges after world champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri failed to start in China due to separate technical issues with their Mercedes power units.

McLaren's team principal, Andrea Stella, is staying positive, saying they're learning from the setbacks and focusing on improvement. Norris and Piastri are also looking forward to getting back on track, with Norris emphasizing the need to “step it up as much as possible.”

Verstappen struggled in China, finishing ninth in the Shanghai sprint and retiring from the main race. His frustration's clear, especially with the new 2026 regulations and car designs.

The last four winners of the #JapaneseGP 🏆🏆🏆🏆#F1 || @Max33Verstappen pic.twitter.com/AQsjAMzgop

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 24, 2026

He's been vocal about the changes, calling them “anti-racing” and likening them to Mario Kart with the electrical boost and overtake modes. Verstappen's concerns highlight the intense competition and adjustments teams are making to adapt to the new rules.

Max Verstappen tried to shake off his F1 slump with a four-hour endurance race in Germany last weekend, but it didn't quite work out - he was disqualified after winning.

Verstappen's Japanese GP streak is on the line, having won the past four years and clinching his second world title there in 2022. 

Max Verstappen's struggles continue, with a cooling issue forcing him to retire on lap 46 of the Chinese GP. This setback has put his Japanese GP dominance in doubt. “Getting on top of our problems is not easy,” Verstappen admitted in Shanghai.

“It would help if we would just have a normal start - I've been every time dropping to last.”

Antonelli Shines as Mercedes Dominates

Mercedes is flying high with one-two finishes in Australia and China. George Russell won in Australia, while 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli took his first F1 win in China, leaving Max Verstappen's Red Bull struggling.

George Russell took the chequered flag in the Shanghai sprint, and Mercedes is targeting a Suzuka win for the first time since Valtteri Bottas in 2019. The team's momentum is building, and they might just have the speed to take down Verstappen's Red Bull.

Kimi Antonelli was given a hero's welcome in his native Bologna, Italy, after becoming the youngest pole-sitter and second-youngest winner in F1 history. His breakthrough win in China has put him on the radar, and fans are excited to see what's next for this young talent.

The win had “removed a bit of weight from my shoulders,” said Antonellii.

“It's the kind of result which gives you strength and more awareness of what you can do.”

McLaren's start to the season has been a nightmare, struggling to adapt to the new regulations that require battery management and energy harvesting with a 50-50 split between conventional and electrical power. The team is finding it tough to get on top of the changes, and it's affecting their performance on track.

Defending champion Lando Norris is 36 points behind George Russell, and things haven't gone as planned for him. He wasn't happy with his car, saying it “sucks,” and it's clear he's frustrated. Oscar Piastri's season hasn't even gotten off to a proper start, crashing on his way to the grid in Melbourne and missing the grand prix altogether. It's a tough start for the McLaren duo.

“We just have to take it on the chin, learn what the problem was and make sure it never happens again,” Norris said in Shanghai.

“All of us want to go racing and score points.”

The White Bull in Suzuka 2025 🤍#F1 || #JapaneseGP 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/IjySoOEfvG

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 23, 2026

The teams will get a breather after Suzuka, with a five-week gap until the Miami GP. The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races were cancelled due to the war in the Middle East, so the schedule's been adjusted.