Suzuka, Japan: Max Verstappen dominated the Japanese Grand Prix from start to finish, claiming victory after a red flag early on due to a crash between Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon. Verstappen led the field from pole position in both restarts, strategically managing his tire wear across two pit stops.
His teammate Sergio Perez mirrored Verstappen’s strategy, securing a comfortable second place and giving Red Bull a dominant 1-2 finish. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz benefitted from fresher tires after a late pit stop, allowing him to overtake Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc to claim a podium finish.
Leclerc, who opted for a one-stop strategy, finished fourth ahead of Norris. Fernando Alonso continued Aston Martin’s strong start to the season with a sixth-place finish, followed by a close battle between Mercedes’ George Russell and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri for seventh and eighth.
Hamilton, frustrated with Mercedes’ strategy, finished a disappointing ninth. Yuki Tsunoda, the local hero, secured the final point in tenth after a series of exciting overtaking maneuvers.
Several incidents throughout the race kept things interesting. The aforementioned crash between Ricciardo and Albon on the opening lap brought out the red flag. Later, a close call between Russell and Piastri at the final chicane is under investigation by the stewards. Additionally, Lance Stroll’s pit lane infringement is also being reviewed.
This victory extends Verstappen’s championship lead, putting him in a strong position heading into the next race in China. Gear up for a fast-paced Sprint weekend as Formula 1 heads to the Shanghai International Circuit for the Chinese Grand Prix (April 19-21)
Race results – Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix 2024
- Position 1: Max Verstappen (Team – RedBull Racing Honda RBPT), Time: 1:54:23.566, Points: 26
- Position 2: Sergio Perez (Team – RedBull Racing Honda RBPT), Time: +12.535s, Points: 18
- Position 3: Carlos Sainz Jr (Team – Ferrari), Time: +20.866s, Points: 15
- Position 4: Charles Leclerc (Team – Ferrari), Time: +26.522s, Points: 12
- Position 5: Lando Norris (Team – McLaren), Time: +29.700s, Points: 10
Race Result source: https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/2024/races/1232/japan/race-result.html
