Max Verstappen showcased his brilliance once again after battling Lando Norris to secure the 2025 F1 Japanese Grand Prix win, marking his fourth consecutive Formula 1 victory at the Suzuka Circuit.
The Red Bull driver held off relentless pressure from McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri throughout the race, delivering a masterclass in defensive driving and tire management.
Max Verstappen’s impressive F1 Japanese Grand Prix win also marked his first triumph in the 2025 F1 season, placing him within a point behind Norris in the drivers’ standings.
The race began with the Dutchman starting from pole position after a stellar qualifying performance on Saturday. He made a clean getaway, maintaining his lead into the first corner despite Norris attempting to challenge him off the line.
The top three drivers—Verstappen, Norris, and Piastri—settled into their positions early on, with the trio forming a tight group at the front of the pack. Suzuka’s high-speed corners and narrow track made overtaking a formidable challenge, highlighting the importance of track position.
During his initial stint on medium tires, Verstappen managed to eke out a small lead of around two seconds over Norris who began chipping away at the gap as tire degradation set in.
Meanwhile Piastri remained close behind his teammate showcasing impressive pace but unable to make significant inroads due to troubles following closely in dirty air.
McLaren strategists decided to pit Piastri first among the leading trio on lap 21, aiming to protect him from an undercut attempt by Mercedes’ George Russell who had pitted earlier and was gaining ground on fresh hard tires.
The pit stop phase proved pivotal in determining the 2025 F1 Japanese Grand Prix winner.
Verstappen and Norris pitted simultaneously on lap 22, emerging side by side at the pit exit and in a dramatic moment the McLaren attempted to pass the leading Red Bull but was forced onto the grass as the Dutchman held his line firmly.
While Norris expressed frustration over team radio claiming he was pushed off track, Verstappen argued that his rival had gone off on his own. The stewards reviewed the incident but decided not to investigate further, allowing the the reigning world champion to retain his lead.
RELATED:
Japanese Grand Prix pole: Max Verstappen stuns McLaren duo with Suzuka record-breaker
F1 2025 Japanese Grand Prix Qualifying Results
From that point onward, Max Verstappen controlled proceedings masterfully. Despite several attempts by Norris and Piastri to close the gap, neither driver could get within his DRS range.
Norris maintained second place throughout but struggled to mount a serious challenge for victory, while Piastri occasionally demonstrated superior pace compared to his teammate and was poised to attack Verstappen directly at McLaren’s request.
However, McLaren opted not to intervene with team orders, prioritizing a clean finish for both drivers.
As the laps wound down, Verstappen showcased his composure under pressure. He managed his tires effectively while keeping both McLarens at bay, ultimately crossing the finish line just 1.4 seconds ahead of Norris and 2.1 seconds clear of Piastri to claim the 2025 F1 Japanese Grand Prix win.
Behind the leading trio, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc delivered a solid performance to finish fourth albeit 16 seconds adrift of Piastri.
Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli followed in fifth and sixth positions respectively with Russell narrowly edging out his rookie teammate by just over a second.
Lewis Hamilton endured a challenging race in seventh place for Ferrari, struggling with pace issues that left him unable to contend for higher positions.
Further down the order, Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar impressed with an eighth-place finish ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon in ninth and Haas driver Ollie Bearman in tenth.
Fernando Alonso finished 11th for Aston Martin after battling through traffic for much of the race while Yuki Tsunoda endured an underwhelming home Grand Prix in 12th place for Red Bull despite flashes of promise during practice sessions earlier in the weekend.
The lower half of the field saw Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan finish 13th and 15th respectively, sandwiching Carlos Sainz’s Williams in 14th place. Sauber drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto struggled for pace throughout and ended up 16th and 19th respectively.
Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson finished 17th after enduring tire degradation issues late in the race. Haas’ Esteban Ocon took 18th while Lance Stroll rounded out the grid after being lapped by the leaders.
