And what is the lesson of the Japanese Grand Prix? That Max Verstappen, if he stays in the race, seems impossible to beat. Two weeks after the breakdown in Melbourne, nothing slowed the world champion in the Red Bull on his way to his third victory in the fourth race of the season. He won ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari).
His third victory on the “fast” track at Suzuka, which is loved by the pilots, gives him 25 points after the clear round in Australia and a bonus for the fastest lap on the Japan tour. In the drivers’ standings he is in first place with 77 points, ahead of Perez (64) and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari/59). “The car got better and better during the race,” said Verstappen with a smile, “and it can continue like this.”
Accident stops the field early
Perez had two chances on Sunday to overtake the world champion in the first few meters. Twenty seconds after the first start, Alex Albon in the Williams left the Australian Daniel Ricciardo (Racing Bull) too little space on the outside in a left-hand bend. A moment later both cars were hanging in the tire stacks. The pilots climbed out of their demolished cars unscathed, but saw no reason to call it a blessing in disguise.
After the clean-up work, they were rather disgruntled and watched the second descent from a standstill almost half an hour later – as spectators. And saw how Verstappen successfully defended his pole position for the second time in front of his teammate. Poor Perez. So close to the Red Bull chief driver in qualifying on Saturday, within 66 thousandths of a second. The Mexican saw the marginal delay on Saturday as the ultimate call: “Full attack.”
It’s about his future, so early in the season. The contract expires at the end of the year. Regardless of Verstappen’s path, Red Bull will look for a better solution if Perez lacks consistency at a high level like last year. In the battle for the constructors’ championship, the second man should come second as often as the first man.
Not an easy game for Verstappen’s stablemates. But in Japan it was enough to achieve a third double success. Perez is on track. “My starts weren’t enough to catch Max,” he said regretfully to the TV channel Sky, “I had to put pressure on every now and then during the race, I lacked balance at times, but I’m satisfied. I have good momentum.”
A small driving mistake by Perez
At the second start, the order of the line-up remained the same: Verstappen in front of his co-driver, Lando Norris in the McLaren and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), followed by Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin and Oscar Piastri (McLaren). An illustrious group of established and highly talented people, five of whom had one thing in common on Sunday: not being able to keep up with the man at the top.
After 14 of 53 laps, Verstappen was leading by a good five seconds over his first pursuer in the identical car. A small driving error by Perez in the second Denger corner contributed to this, but above all the Dutchman’s ability to complete the laps faster under the same conditions. Technology or not, in the world champion’s racing team the champion showed again, step by step, that this person in the machine makes a difference.