Max Verstappen was asked the other day before the start of the second Grand Prix in China, what had to happen so that he could win. “Everyone in front of me has to leave. We are too slow,” he replied. For years he had dominated with Red Bull and won the World Cup in Formula 1 four times in series. And now it seemed as if this year he simply had no chance with the new construction of his team, as if the RB21 was too difficult to control, even for him. But if you already anticipate a change of dominance to the faster McLaren, you instructed Verstappen at the Grand Prix of Japan.
He had to drive at the limit, but he did not make a mistake, he protected the tires and already demonstrated his good sense when adjusting the vehicle mood for the Suzuka route. An inferior car? That didn’t matter this weekend. In the end there was a sovereign start-finish victory, his first this year, the 64th of his Formula 1 career-and above all one with a message. Because now the Dutch is only one point behind Lando Norris in the World Cup with 61 points, who drove over the finish line as the second in front of his team -mate Oscar Piatri on Sunday.
:Came to tame the beast
Yuki Tsunoda is the next one who tries on the hot seat in the Red Bull team alongside Max Verstappen. But the Japanese should also have to struggle with the bitchy racing car of the nervous racing team.
“It was really hard, I had to give everything, both McLaren hunted me,” said Verstappen. His team boss Christian Horner had previously spoken of a “truly inspiring performance” on the radio – and so it was. The Dutch won the Japan Grand Prix for the fourth time in a row, which was not even a record world champion Michael Schumacher.
The attention was on Verstappen’s team this weekend. It was the first race since Red Bull had provided another example of how merciless it can be in the premier class of motorsport. Liam Lawson only got two Grand Prix to prove himself alongside Verstappen. The performance of the Formula 1 newcomer was not enough for the bosses. In Suzuka, the Japanese Yuki Tsunoda was able to steer the supposedly better car for the first time, and his cockpit in the Racing Bulls training team received the degraded Lawson. Tsunoda ended the race as twelfth, Lawson was 17th The German Nico Hülkenberg steered his clean in 16th place and remained without World Cup points.
Verstappen and Norris ensure action for this otherwise quiet race during a pit stop
Max Verstappen was not impressed by the hustle and bustle. He had already shown his skills in qualifying with a round that gave him a lot of recognition. Especially in view of the difficulties of the stubborn RB21. In view of the perfection of the world champion, Red Bull Motor Sports Advisor Helmut Marko spoke of the “Verstappen-Factor” that he was “an absolute phenomenon”. For the praised, it was the first pole position this year after a break of 280 days, most recently the 27-year-old had won the best starting place in Austria at the end of June 2024. He gave him hope that he managed to do for the fourth time in Japan: in Suzuka he won the Grand Prix every time.
Even at the start, McLaren couldn’t get past him. Verstappen pressed onto the accelerator and pulled away behind him, behind him Norris, Piatri, Charles Leclerc in Ferrari and the two Mercedes. Only then did the next car with bulls follow the paint and Isack Hadjar at the wheel. The rookie from France was able to hold his position for six rounds, then Lewis Hamilton passed him in Ferrari. Otherwise, however, no movement came into the front third of the driver field. “Lando, this pace is really good, keep it up!” McLaren motivated his World Cup leader when 18 rounds had driven and Norris had shortened the deficit to Verlaten over one and a half seconds.
After 21 rounds, Piatri was the first to change the leadership group. Verstappen and Norris followed his example soon – and caused action. The stop from Verstappen took a little longer, which meant that both drove out of the pit lane in parallel. Verstappen in the middle of the trail, Norris on the right. That was the chance to pass the Red Bull, but instead the McLaren rattle over the lawn. The regular keepers rated the scene similar to Verstappen: “He drove into the grass himself!” In the meantime, Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes took over the lead-as the youngest driver in Formula 1 history at the age of 18 and 224 days. Antonelli ended the race as the sixth. Verstappen enjoyed the freedom again after Hamilton drove to the box in the 30th and Antonelli in the 31st round.
In this quiet Grand Prix, tension ultimately offered the internal duel between Norris and Piatri, the pursuer looked faster. Would you exchange the places? “If Lando has to save gasoline, he should advance me. I have the speed of catching up,” Piatri sparked his team. That was the pace of Norris, was the answer. Whereupon the Australian, which always ripped off, repeated: “Ok, but as I said I think we have the speed to get Max.” And he was right: if McLaren wanted to win, either Norris had to drive faster or pour the faster piatric. The two McLaren came very close, but the approval for overtaking maneuvers as a gift for the 24th birthday failed. Piatri held third behind his teammate, who leads the World Cup – but the balance sheet is balanced. Norris won the start in Australia, the second race in China Piatri. In the third Grand Prix, however, they had to congratulate Verstappen.