After the debacle in Singapore, Max Verstappen returned to his winning ways in Japan with the same authority as always. By simply changing latitude and going up 5,000 km on the map, the Dutch driver changed the humanity shown in the Marina Bay (he was 5th) for his usual absolutist dominance in the brand new Suzuka, where he left the second (Norris) 19 seconds behind. . With his 13th victory, the champion took another bite out of the World Cup by adding 26 more points to his pursuer, Checo Pérez, who retired, adding a zero and moving away to 177 points.
So Verstappen could mathematically be champion in the next race in Qatar: there are only 180 points left at stake, so he would be three-time champion already in the Lusail Sprint Race, finishing sixth.
Red Bull advanced the celebrations with its proclamation as Constructors’ champion, its sixth title and second in a row.
Although at the start the two McLarens tried to get a Red Bull sandwich, since they put him against the ropes and Norris even managed to pass him on the outside in the first corner, Vertappen emerged victorious from the start and began the escape.
The most spectacular start was once again signed by Fernando Alonso, wearing soft tires, from 10th to 6th, favored on this occasion by a terrible action by Checo Pérez, who collided with Hamilton – he threw him to the grass -, and had to change the nose of the Red Bull and drop to 14th place. One less rival.
The Asturian was skillful, he was able to sneak inside to advance four positions and position himself behind his friend Sainz and in front of Hamilton. The grippier tires allowed him to fly at the start and squeeze the two Ferraris, which were running behind the two McLarens.
Aston Martin advanced Alonso’s tactics by making him stop on lap 12 (they put hard tires on him) to protect himself from the two Alpha Tauri. His fight was with Tsunoda, since the three in front – Verstappen, the McLarens and the Ferraris – were in another orbit.
A Virtual Safety-Car due to Pérez’s collision with Magnussen precipitated some tire changes, like Piastri’s, but since it was so short and caught the cars at the other end of the track, many cars were left without being able to go to the pit-stop. . The Mexican from Red Bull ended up retiring.
The wheel changes took place in the window of laps 17-18. From the pit-stop dance it turned out that Alonso momentarily finished ahead of Sainz and Hamilton. But it was a mirage: the Madrid native surpassed him with softer and fresher tires, and the same thing happened with Hamilton, who ate the Spaniard’s Aston Martin with ease.
“You have thrown me to the lions by stopping me so soon, it is incredible, mate,” Alonso complained bitterly on the radio to his team about the strategy, when he found himself relegated to 9th place, between two Alpines, behind Ocon and in front of Gasly.
With 20 laps remaining (d. 33/53), Verstappen had his 13th victory on track, with 15 seconds ahead of Norris and 21 over Piastri. The fight for the podium would be between six cars, the McLarens, the Ferraris and the Mercedes, which ran in pairs.
They opened fire on the positions of Ferrari, which stopped Leclerc (v. 35), and Mercedes, which stopped Hamilton, to give both of them the tough time. McLaren replied with Piastri (v. 36) and then with Norris (v. 37). Verstappen stopped with a cushion of half a minute (v. 38) to secure his lead without problems, while Sainz was the last to change tires of the top eight (v.39).
From the pit-stop dance, the Madrid native was the most affected in position, 7th, behind Hamilton. Although in the last three laps, the Spaniard from Ferrari overtook Russell to place 6th, but he could not beat Hamilton. The two McLarens held on to the podium, Norris 2nd and Piastri, 3rd, ahead of Leclerc. Alonso finished 8th, two positions better than he had on the grid, after winning his duel against Tsunoda and the Alpine.
