SUZUKA, Japan (Reuters) – In a thrilling Japanese Grand Prix, Red Bull showcased their dominance once again as Max Verstappen secured his third straight victory, with team mate Sergio Perez coming in second. The result marked Red Bull’s third 1-2 finish in four races this season and extended their lead over Ferrari by 21 points.
Verstappen, who started on pole for the 36th time in his career, cruised to a dominant 57th career win, while Perez delivered a strong performance with two impressive overtakes at the 130R corner, passing both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
Ferrari, with Carlos Sainz finishing third and Charles Leclerc in fourth, put up a solid fight. Leclerc’s one-stop strategy paid off as he battled on medium tires for 27 laps before pitting, earning him the Driver of the Day title. Sainz, on fresh hard tires, overtook his teammate to secure a podium finish.
McLaren had a mixed day, with Lando Norris finishing fifth and Oscar Piastri in eighth. Norris, starting third on the grid, was hoping for a podium spot but found himself behind Leclerc after a pit stop. Piastri, on the other hand, lost his seventh place to George Russell on the final lap.
Mercedes faced another disappointing race, with George Russell finishing seventh and Lewis Hamilton in ninth. Both drivers struggled with significant tire degradation, forcing them to change their strategy. Hamilton, the seven-times champion, did manage some quick times on mediums after his second stop.
Aston Martin, with Fernando Alonso finishing sixth and Lance Stroll in 12th, had a challenging race. Stroll made three stops during the race and had an incident when trying to exit the pit lane, which was reviewed but no action was taken by the stewards.
Yuki Tsunoda of RB scored his first points in his home Grand Prix, finishing in 10th place, while his teammate Daniel Ricciardo retired after crashing on the first lap. Haas had Nico Hulkenberg in 11th and Kevin Magnussen in 13th, with Hulkenberg using a two-stop strategy.
Williams saw Logan Sargeant finishing 17th after Albon retired due to an early crash. Sargeant faced some challenges towards the end of the race but managed to finish in last place. Sauber endured a tough race, with Guanyu Zhou retiring due to a gearbox issue and Valtteri Bottas finishing in 14th.
Alpine continued to struggle at the bottom of the constructor standings, with Esteban Ocon finishing 15th and Pierre Gasly in 16th. Despite early race contact between the two drivers, they avoided finishing at the bottom thanks to Sargeant’s error.
Overall, the Japanese Grand Prix provided plenty of excitement and drama, showcasing the fierce competition in the Formula One season. With Red Bull’s continued dominance, the championship battle is heating up as the teams head to the next race.
