Max Verstappen has taken a majestic victory in the Japan Grand Prix, without the best car on a return or in race rhythm, but that in their hands is able to bend the McLaren much faster in all aspects. It is the first triumph of the Dutch this year (the 64th of his life in the F1) and serves him, after an exhibition in Suzuka, pear to place second in the World Cup, to a single point of Lando Norris, second in the test of today and with overwhelms.
The battle was at the exit, unpolluted for Max and in the boxes, where he endured a Norris attack when he returned to the track, but in an unappealable way to send him to the grass. The rest was to keep their RB21 first, a car with which no one else could be even close to anything other than a fifth place. That is the value of the tetracampeon, which would gain races with three other cars while the rest cannot save those of Woking. A monster.
Behind them, Piastri was asking for radio to pass to his partner to try, but Lando did not want to give in any time not to give way to games that do not usually end well and give rise to misunderstandings, as seen in 2024.
The papaya and their pilots lose credit despite having the best car long now, something that can vary throughout the year, and their superiority does not just be reflected as it should. Piastri claimed a track departure from his partner to the commissioners, at the final auction of the race. There will be more friction, that’s safe.
Alonso 11 and Delicatesen
Fernando Alonso warned him before starting, “by rhythm we cannot go to anyone, only if they fall ahead.” And in the race there was not a single abandonment. The Asturian left a duel of seeing and repeating, being parallel to Gasly (he went ahead) for a complete lap, from the initials to 130r, where with the wheels playing both cars he could leave him behind. Wonderful, so much that in the draft the winners delighted seeing it later repeated.
That was the position that Fernando won, the Alpine, to be 11th and with an intense ending to endure behind a tsunoda with an RB that today is much better than his car. If one takes into account that Lance Stroll was last with an extra stop, it can be said that Aston Martin has been the ninth car, perhaps the tenth after Sauber throughout this weekend. You couldn’t fall anymore but the collapse continues.
Sainz, against and 14th final
The battle of Carlos Sainz was with Hulkenberg the whole race. The German passed it at the exit, but the Spaniard recovered on the same lap. And then he had to endure two thirds of the test with the initial media, to place a final soft without going through the hard. He ended up passing back to the Sauber in the absence of 3 laps and Doohan to be 14º. The sanction of Saturday (15th) on grill conditioned him completely.
It has been a career with good rhythm, very similar to that of Albon and a good learning for those that comes, but it is curious or painful that neither Alonso have released their box locker after three races and a sprint. It was nothing expected, but they will come out of this bump throughout the year.
Japan GP 2025
1st M. Verstappen (D) Red Bull 53/53
2nd L. Norris (D) McLaren + 1 “1
3rd O. PIASTRI (D) McLaren + 1 “8
4th C. Leclerc (m) Ferrari + 13 “6
5th G. Russell (d) Mercedes + 16 “2
6th K. Antonelli (D) Mercedes + 19 “4
7th L. Hamilton (m) Ferrari + 27 “1
8th I. Hadjar (d) Racing Bulls + 36 “4
9th A. Albon (D) Williams + 40 “2
10th O. Bearman (d) haas + 49 “5
11º F. RELEANDO ALONSO (D) ASTON MARTIN + 53 “4
12th Y. Tsunoda (D) Red Bull + 54 “9
13th P. Gasly (D) Alpine + 56 “2
14th Carlos Sainz (b) Williams + 70 “5
15º J. Doohan (d) Alpine + 72 “1
16º N. Hulkenberg (m) Kick Sauber + 72 “1
17º L. Lawson (D) Racing Bulls + 73 “8
18º E. OCON (M) Haas + 75 “9
19º G. Bortoleto (m) Kick Sauber + 76 “4
20º L. Stroll (m) Aston Martin + 1 Tour
Departure (V1/53); Max in front, Alonso at 11
Good departure from Verstappen occupying the center and keeping Norris and Piastri at bay.
Behind a spectacular duel between Alonso and Gasly that resulted in the past Asturian, in parallel in 130r. Impressive to reach 11.
Sainz was still in the 15th, after losing position with Hulkenberg and then recovering it, spectacularly.
On Tour 6. Verstappen put Norris 1.6 seconds and remained away from the distance of the DRS, with a rhythm of 2 or 3 tenths better than Lando that seemed to dose the tires.
Stroll first stop (V10)
Stroll stopped the first (V10) and threw from afar to place the hard and go to the end. He had left with soft and won two starting positions Alonso’s partner.
Sainz stuck to Lawson (for the 14th) and Russell to Leclerc (for the room), but advanced seemed very complicated. There was no graining and everything pointed to a unique stop. The McLaren changed the rhythm, but Max kept both seconds (V15).
Sainz crossed the gauger to finish in Tour 16, but returned to the track without problems. It was noted, but finally it was not investigated, having not won anything.
Russell stopped on Vuelta 20 and Lando approached 1.4 from Verstappen. The decisive phase of the race accelerated. And Piastri stopped in the 21st and returned ninth, just ahead of Alonso who was tenth.
Verstappen and Lando, fight at the PIT (V22)
Everything seemed to decide at the Vuelta 22 stop, when the first and second entered at the same time. Norris complained that Max had thrown him on the earth on the return, but the images showed that he was always ahead. McLaren’s ran out of space and stepped on the earth. Nothing at all. It was scored, but it was not investigated.
Alonso continued with the initial media and was ninth after the changes.
Albon, Alonso and Bearman entered Tour 25, while Sainz was still on the track and went up to 10th. The leader was Antonelli momentarily and Hamilton behind having left hard.
Alonso stabilized in the 15th position, but with many for stopping. And Sainz was advanced by Hasdjar with new rubber
Hamilton and Antonelli to Boxes (V31 and 32)
Antonelli was the leader without stopping and Lewis stopped to place the medium (changed strategy) and returned seventh, while Carlos let Albon pass and still did not stop. in a little understandable strategy of Williams.
Sainz stopped on Vuelta 34 and placed soft, while Lawson stopped on the same lap and placed the soft as well.
Alonso was 11th to 3 seconds from Bearman and Stroll 20º and last after a second stop. And Sainz 17º, but with soft ones that could give it on track, in the absence of 20 laps.
Sainz past to Lawson (V36)
Being the RB’s after a conscientious persecution. Ascended to 16th.
Piastri asked to go to Lando in the absence of 10 laps, since Lando could not intimidate Verstappen, with 1.4 seconds of advantage over English permanently.
Sainz tried to move to Hulkenberg for the 15th, but they almost played in the Chicane. He managed to spend it on Tour 50, three from the end. Then he passed Doohan to finish 14, it was as much as possible since the 15th starting and today’s career must give him a lot of learning for the next appointments.
Piastri tried