Max Verstappen had it under control despite pressure to win F1 Japanese GP ahead of McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
It was cloudy at Suzuka to start the F1 Japanese GP but dry for the slicks. Most opted for the medium tyres to start the grand prix where Red Bull’s Max Verstappen covered both the McLaren of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to remain at the top of the field from pole.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc maintained fourth from Mercedes’ George Russell & Andrea Kimi Antonelli, with Visa Cash App RB’s Isack Hadjar in seventh leading hard tyre runner Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari. Williams’ Alexander Albon was ninth from Haas’ Oliver Bearman in the Top 10 as they started.
Just outside the points places, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso defended 11th place from Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, but Visa Cash App RB’s Liam Lawson lost 13th to Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda. There was a move by Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg on Williams’ Carlos Sainz for 15th, but the Spaniard retook it at the hairpin.
There was no change in the Top 10 apart from Hamilton moving past Hadjar for seventh, which left the Frenchman in the clutches of Albon and Bearman. There was an early stop for Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll on Lap 10 after the soft tyre gamble didn’t work, which forced him to switch to hard compound.
It was rather clean for most part in the opening sequence apart from final corner chicane cut by Antonelli and Sainz due to lock-up. The pit stop window opened on Lap 19 and Russell went for it on Lap 20 in a bid to pass Leclerc, who decided to extend to find a proper gap.
Piastri pitted on Lap 22 before Norris in his try to cover Russell. The Top 3 pitted on Lap 23 where Verstappen and Norris were side-by-side on the pit exit, with the Brit on the grass. The stewards deemed it as normal run, despite plea from McLaren to penalise the Dutchman for forcing Norris off.
They maintained track position, as did Leclerc on Russell. There was a change outside the Top 10 where Tsunoda managed to clear Gasly in the pits. The likes of Hamilton and Antonelli pitted on Lap 31 and 32 respectively, but maintained track position, with the Italian staying in front.
Outside the Top 10, there were movements in terms of clearing cars on different strategies. Interestingly, both Sainz and Lawson opted to switch the soft tyre for their final stint as opposed to medium. It was getting close between the Top 3 at the front with Verstappen at front.
Norris started to close in but Piastri was closer to the Brit. The Australian started to hustle his team, but they remained as they were in the closing stages. Verstappen had the better of both eventually to win his first F1 race of the 2025 season in Japanese GP to celebrate with Honda in their home event.
Norris had to be content with second to be just one point ahead in the drivers’ standings, as Piastri rounded out the podium places ahead of Leclerc and Russell in the Top 5, who were quite the way off the Top 3. Antonelli was close to his teammate in the end in sixth, good way ahead of Hamilton.
Hadjar brought it home in eighth from Albon and Bearman in the Top 10 points places. Alonso was 11th from Tsunoda and Gasly, as Sainz passed Doohan and Hulkenberg to end up 14th. The Australian managed to fend off the German, with Lawson in a lowly 17th.
Haas’ Esteban Ocon was only 18th from Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Stroll to round out the 20 runners, where the Canadian was the only one to finish a lap down on Verstappen.
UPDATE: Sainz has been handed suspended 20,000 euros fine by the FIA stewards for not being on time for Japanese national anthem. It was noted by the Spaniard’s team that he had a stomach ailment, which was verified by the doctor as well. Usually, the fine is of 60,000 euros but due to Sainz’s situation it was put down to 20,000 euros where 10,000 euros is suspended.
Here: https://x.com/fiadocsbot/status/1908798617898430662
