Japanese Grand Prix: Verstappen - Norris - Piastri
Dull. Dry. Air +14...15C, highway +21...19C
The intrigue in 2025 is famously twisted! In the last four qualifiers (including qualifying for Saturday's sprint), we saw four different pole positions. The fate of the pole in Suzuka was decided in the last seconds, and when everyone was confident in the success of the McLaren drivers who were leading during the weekend, Max Verstappen unexpectedly won the 41st pole in his career and the fourth in a row in Suzuka.
The hasty reshuffle at Red Bull also added intrigue. Liam Lawson was demoted to Racing Bulls after two Grands Prix, from where Yuki Tsunoda was invited as a team-mate for Verstappen. The Japanese was happy – until recently, he could only dream of joining Red Bull, where Lawson was hired before the start of the season, and suddenly he made his debut as part of this team at the home stage. Fans filled the stands on Friday and actively supported Yuki.
The McLaren drivers dominated the practice sessions, showing good pace over short and medium distances. It was not possible to drive through long series due to red flags, which stopped the session several times due to last year's grass on the roadsides. On Sunday morning, rain began to fall, removing the issue of local fires.
Sainz lost three positions at the start for blocking Hamilton in qualifying. Verstappen and Norris started the race from the first row of the starting field, Piastri and Leclair from the second, Russell and Antonelli from the third.
For the first time in the season, Pirelli brought the toughest compounds to the stage – C1, C2 and C3 in the role of Hard, Medium and Soft. By the start, the track was dry after the rain, and everyone started on slicks. Hamilton, Bortoleto and Okon chose Hard for the first leg of the race, Duane and Stroll risked putting Soft, the rest started on Medium.
At the start, Verstappen retained the lead, there were no changes in the top ten. Alonso was ahead of Gasly. Bortoleto lost three seats. Tsunoda beat Lawson to it.
Top ten on lap 2: Verstappen - Norris - Piastri - Leclair - Russell - Antonelli - Hajjar - Hamilton - Albon - Berman.
Antonelli cut the last chicane without losing ground.
By the fifth lap, Verstappen had pulled away, protecting himself from the DRS attack. The peloton stretched out. On Lap 6, Hamilton beat Hajjar to seventh place.
On Lap 10, Stroll was the first to change tires, getting a Hard one. On lap 16, Duane got rid of the Soft starter kit by switching to Hard.
On lap 17, Sainz cut off the final chicane with no consequences for the car. The race director felt that Carlos could have gained an unfair advantage, but the stewards left the incident without consequences.
On lap 20, Russell made a pit stop, on lap 21 - Piastri, on lap 22 - Verstappen, Norris and Leclair - while servicing Charles's car, there was a slight hitch with the fastening of the rear right wheel.
After the pit stop, Verstappen and Norris drove out of the pits together, Lando drove onto the grass and complained about Max, Max complained about Lando, but the stewards did not apply sanctions.
On lap 23, Hulkenberg changed tires, on lap 24 - Berman and Tsunoda, on lap 25 - Elbon, Alonso and Gasly, on lap 26 - Hajjar.
On lap 27, Sainz cut the last chicane again, with no consequences.
On lap 28, Elbon was ahead of Bortoleto in the fight for 12th place.
On lap 29, Albon overtook Ocon in the fight for 11th place.
Hamilton and Stroll made a pit stop on lap 31, while Antonelli and Bortoleto made a pit stop on lap 32.
On lap 33, Albon was ahead of Lawson in the fight for 9th place. I changed the rubber.
On lap 34, Lawson and Sainz made a pit stop.
The top ten on lap 35: Verstappen - Norris - Piastri - Leclair - Russell - Antonelli - Hamilton - Hajjar - Albon - Berman. Compared to the top ten, only Hamilton's position has changed, having overtaken Hajjar.
On lap 36, Sainz beat Lawson to 16th position.
Piastri informed the team that his car was fast enough to compete with Max, but McLaren did not ask Norris to let him pass.
On lap 48, Sainz was ahead of Hulkenberg, then Duane, rising to 14th place.
Max Verstappen has won the Japanese Grand Prix with 64 career wins and the fourth in a row on the Japanese circuit. Lando Norris finished the race second, retaining the lead in the individual standings with an advantage of one point. Oscar Piastri took the third step of the podium.
Isaac Hajjar scored the first points of his career. Fernando Alonso finished the race for the first time this season. For the first time in the season, all the starting riders reached the finish line.
Next week, the fight will continue with a stage in Bahrain.
Race results
Pilot
The Time Team
Speed
Pit
1. M.Verstappen
Red Bull
1:22:06.983
224.659
1
2. L.Norris
McLaren
+1.423
224.595
1
3 . O. Piastri
McLaren
+2.129
224.562
1
4 . S. Leclerc
Ferrari
+16.097
223.928
1
5 . d.Russell
Mercedes
+17.362
223.871
1
6 . K.Antonelli
Mercedes
+18.671
223.811
1
7 . L. Hamilton
Ferrari
+29.182
223.337
1
8 . A.Hajjar
Racing Bulls
+37.134
222.979
1
9 . A.Elbon
Williams
+40.367
222.834
1
10. O. Berman
Haas
+54.529
222.200
1
11. F.Alonso
Aston Martin
+57.333
222.075
1
12. Yu.Tsunoda
Red Bull
+58.401
222.028
1
13. P.Gasli
Alpine
+62.122
221.862
1
14. K.Sainz
Williams
+74.129
221.329
1
15. D.Duane
Alpine
+81.314
221.012
1
16. N. Hulkenberg
Sauber
+81.957
220.984
1
17. L. Lawson
Racing Bulls
+82.734
220.949
1
18. E.Okon
Haas
+83.438
220.918
1
19. The city of Bortoleto
Sauber
+83.897
220.898
1
20. L.Stroll
Aston Martin
+1 circle
219.840
2
Best lap: Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - 1:30.965 (lap 50, 229.815 km/h)
Championship position : Personal best
Pilot
A country
Team
Points
=
1. L.Norris
McLaren F1 Team
62
=
2. M.Verstappen
Oracle Red Bull Racing
61
3. O. Piastri
McLaren F1 Team
49
4. D.Russell
Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team
45
=
5. K.Antonelli
Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team
30
6. S. Leclair
Scuderia Ferrari HP
20
7. A.Albon
Atlassian Williams Racing
18
8. L. Hamilton
Scuderia Ferrari HP
15
9. E.Okon
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
10
10. L.Stroll
Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team
10
=
11. N.Hulkenberg
Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber
6
=
12. O.Berman
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
5
13. A.Hajjar
Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team
4
14. Yu.Tsunoda
Oracle Red Bull Racing
3
15. K.Sainz
Atlassian Williams Racing
1
Championship position : Constructors' Cup
Team
The motor
Points
=
1. McLaren F1 Team
Mercedes
111
=
2. Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team
Mercedes
75
=
3. Oracle Red Bull Racing
Honda RBPT
61
4. Scuderia Ferrari HP
Ferrari
35
5. Atlassian Williams Racing
Mercedes
19
=
6. MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
Ferrari
15
=
7. Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team
Mercedes
10
8. Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team
Honda RBPT
7
9. Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber
Ferrari
6
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