Max Verstappen cruises to Japanese Grand Prix win as Red Bull seal Constructor's Title
Max Verstappen won the Japanese Grand Prix, giving Red Bull Racing its sixth constructors' title.
The championship leader led from the start and was untouchable throughout the race, taking the checkered flag with a lead of around 20 seconds. Verstappen now leads the table standings by 177 points and can clinch the drivers' championship at the next race in Qatar.
"It's been an unbelievable weekend," he said in parc ferme. "To win here is great and the car was working really well on every compound. But the most important thing is to also win the constructors' championship."
At the start, Verstappen was under pressure from the McLarens, with Oscar Piastri attacking from second on the grid and Lando Norris spotting a gap around the outside. However, the Dutchman was able to hold on to the lead and control the race from there.
While Norris did not take the lead, he did beat Piastri to second place. Only once was he in danger of losing the lead to his teammate when Piastri won time by pitting under the virtual safety car, but Norris quickly closed the gap again on track.
Running second, he wasracing George Russell in seventh, who was attempting a one-stop strategy. McLaren made the critical box call on Lap 37, and while Norris rejoined the field behind Russell, he had far superior pace on the fresher tyres and easily overtook him.
From there, the Brit was comfortably in second place and clinched the podium spot. The day got even better for McLaren when Piastri finished third after an error-free race, giving the Kiwi manufacturer a double podium.
Piastri also battled Russell on the one-stop, and on Lap 42, he executed a beautiful move on the Mercedes, lining the overtake up through the chicane and making it stick into Turn 1.
Charles Leclerc finished fourth quietly, while Lewis Hamilton drove an excellent final lap to hold off a charging Carlos Sainz for fifth place. Russell eventually had to settle for seventh place on fading tyres, his one-stop strategy not gaining him much but also not losing him much.
Meanwhile, Sergio Perez, the championship's runner-up, had a bad day. The Mexican was forced to pit early in the race for a new front wing and collided with Kevin Magnussen while charging back through the field, causing more damage to the Red Bull that ultimately led to a retirement.
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