Max Verstappen returned to winning ways to head a resounding Red Bull one-two in a Japanese GP that was restarted following a big first-lap crash involving Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon.
A fortnight after suffering a shock first race retirement in two years in Australia in a race won by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, Verstappen hit back in dominant style at Suzuka with the world champion beating team-mate Sergio Perez by 12 seconds.
Verstappen had to navigate two getaways on the grid from pole position after the race was originally red-flagged on its first lap after RB’s Ricciardo tangled with Williams’ Albon and both spun off into heavy impacts with the barriers.
After a 30-minute delay while the stricken cars were cleared away and the Turn Three barrier repaired, Verstappen again saw off Perez at the second start and set off into the lead in a race dominated by differing tyre strategies through the top 10.
Sainz took third to maintain his 100 per cent podium-finishing record in 2024, although had to overtake his team-mate to do so after Charles Leclerc impressed on an unconventional one-stop strategy after a poor qualifying had left him eighth on the grid.
McLaren’s Lando Norris had started third but was leapfrogged by both Ferraris through the race and finished fifth with the MCL38 not having the race pace to hold off the red cars.
Japanese GP result: Top 10
1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
3) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
4) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
5) Lando Norris, McLaren
6) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
7) George Russell, Mercedes
8) Oscar Piastri, McLaren
9) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
10) Yuki Tsunoda, RB
