Verstappen Extend Winning Streak in Suzuka, McLaren Settles for Second and Third

Max Verstappen claimed his fourth consecutive win at the Japanese Grand Prix, with a dominant performance at Suzuka. Behind him McLaren’s Lando Norris took second place, followed by Oscar Piastri–celebrating his birthday with a podium finish.  

The only moment of drama came during the first round of pit stops, when Verstappen and Norris exited side by side. With Verstappen having most of the space in the exit, Norris went off into the grass and mowed it a little. The two went on the radio and hashed out their concerns, but the stewards quickly dismissed the situation.  

Later in the race, Piastri appeared to have more pace than Norris but couldn’t make a move due to the limited DRS opportunity. McLaren chose not to swap positions, potentially missing a chance to let Piastri challenge Verstappen for the win. 

Further back, Alex Albon expressed frustration with Williams’ strategy decisions over the radio, and in an unexpected twist, Kimi Antonelli briefly led the race–becoming the youngest driver ever to do so. He later also secured the fastest lap, adding to his growing list of milestones.

Though the race lacked overtaking action, fans got to appreciate the special livery of Haas and Red Bull Racing. Haas added touches of pink cherry blossoms, while Red Bull brought back their iconic white and red livery to celebrate and honor their ongoing partnership with Honda. 

This race kicks off the first of three back-to-back weekends in F1’s triple-header. Next stop: Bahrain!