Japanese GP: Verstappen Wins Tense Race

Max Verstappen emerged victorious in a closely contested Japanese Grand Prix, claiming his first win of the 2025 Formula 1 season. He successfully defended his lead against McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in a thrilling race finish.

Starting from pole position, Verstappen crossed the finish line just 1.4 seconds ahead of Norris, securing his fourth consecutive Suzuka victory. Piastri closely followed his teammate, finishing third, only seven-tenths of a second behind Norris.

A pivotal moment occurred on Lap 22 during pit stops. Verstappen and Norris pitted simultaneously, creating a near side-by-side situation as they rejoined the race. Norris briefly went off-track onto the grass.

Norris argued that he was `forced off`, but race stewards reviewed the incident and decided no further investigation was needed, implying Norris should have yielded as Verstappen was ahead.

From that point, Verstappen expertly managed his tires, resisting persistent pressure from Norris and Piastri. Despite their efforts, neither McLaren driver could get within DRS range of the reigning world champion.

The top three finishers in Suzuka each now have a race win in the 2025 season. Norris leads the Drivers` Championship by a single point over Verstappen, with Piastri 13 points behind, as they head to the Bahrain Grand Prix next weekend.

The top six positions mirrored the starting grid, with Charles Leclerc finishing a distant fourth, George Russell in fifth, and rookie Kimi Antonelli, who briefly led the race, in sixth place.

Lewis Hamilton overtook Isack Hadjar early in the race to secure seventh place, while Alex Albon of Williams finished ninth and Oliver Bearman of Haas completed the top ten.

Local favorite Yuki Tsunoda gained only two positions in his first home Grand Prix for Red Bull, finishing 12th behind Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin.

Verstappen`s Strategy Against Faster McLarens

The Suzuka Circuit began damp but quickly dried, allowing for slick tires. Verstappen knew a strong start was crucial to convert his pole position into a race win against the McLarens.

Both Verstappen and Norris had good starts, maintaining the top order with no significant incidents in the opening laps. The race then became a strategic battle of tire management. Norris initially held back before pushing harder leading up to the pit stops.

McLaren chose to pit Piastri first, followed by Verstappen and Norris simultaneously, separated by just over a second. A slightly slower pit stop for Red Bull allowed Norris to draw alongside Verstappen upon exiting the pits. Norris briefly went onto the grass, claiming Verstappen forced him off, while Verstappen countered that Norris `drove into the grass himself`.

Despite McLaren`s evident pace advantage throughout the season, the high-speed corners of Suzuka made it challenging to closely follow another car due to turbulent air.

Verstappen maintained a gap of 1 to 2.5 seconds for the remaining 30 laps after the pit stop, keeping Norris at bay without allowing an attack. The reduced downforce while following hampered Norris`s ability to challenge.

Piastri remained in contention but chose not to risk a challenge against his teammate, securing a podium finish on his birthday.

McLaren`s double podium increased their lead over Mercedes in the Constructors` Championship to 36 points. However, their drivers may feel disappointed not to have capitalized on their car`s strengths to secure a win.

`It was tough. The McLarens were pushing me very hard,` Verstappen acknowledged, becoming the first driver to win four consecutive races at Suzuka. `It was a lot of fun but not easy managing the tires. I`m incredibly happy. This weekend started tough, but we kept improving the car. Today it was perfect. Starting on pole made the win possible.`

Aside from Antonelli briefly leading during the pit stop cycle, and Hamilton`s long first stint on hard tires hoping for a safety car, the race was relatively uneventful for other positions.

Notably, all 20 drivers finished the Grand Prix, a first for the 2025 season, and organizers were relieved to avoid any grass fires that had previously disrupted the weekend.