Max Verstappen clinched his first victory in the 2025 Formula 1 season at the Japanese Grand Prix, successfully holding off persistent pressure from McLaren`s drivers throughout the race.
This result contrasts with the initial two races where McLaren appeared to have the superior car. Verstappen`s pole position lap on Saturday, where he narrowly beat Lando Norris by just 0.012 seconds, set the stage for his win.
Verstappen`s win, followed by Norris in second place, narrows the gap in the drivers` standings. Verstappen is now only one point behind Norris and 12 points ahead of Oscar Piastri, the second McLaren driver who finished third.
`We never give up, we keep pushing together,` Verstappen exclaimed over the team radio after crossing the finish line. `Unbelievable! What a great weekend for us.`
This victory was also Red Bull`s final race powered by Honda in Japan, which the team commemorated with a special white livery.
Verstappen maintained his lead from the start of the 53-lap race, building a gap of 1.5 to 2.5 seconds in the initial stint.
`It was challenging, we were pushing extremely hard, and it was incredibly enjoyable out there,` Verstappen commented afterward. `I am incredibly happy. The car performed at its peak today, and starting from pole was crucial.`
`Winning here for Honda in Japan is very significant to me and a fantastic narrative.`
On lap 18, McLaren considered bringing Norris in for a pit stop to attempt an `overcut` but decided against it as he approached the pit lane entry, fearing he would rejoin in traffic.
Two laps later, Piastri pitted from third, prompting Verstappen and Norris to pit on the subsequent lap to avoid being overtaken by Piastri on fresher tires.
Opting for an identical strategy to Verstappen appeared to confine Norris to second place. However, as he exited the pit lane, McLaren`s efficient pit stop brought his front wheels nearly alongside Verstappen`s rear wheels as they prepared to rejoin the race track.
Upon exiting the pits, Norris attempted to move alongside Verstappen but ran out of space on the right side, briefly going onto the grass.
Norris complained that he was not given enough room by his competitor, but the race stewards decided to take no further action after reviewing the incident.
Norris later stated, `We lacked the pace today to challenge Max, and he didn`t make any errors. He squeezed me in the pit lane, but that`s typical of him – it`s racing.`
`It`s been a very positive weekend; we`re consistently competing for wins, but they deserved the victory today.`
In the final 15 laps, Norris seemed unable to close the gap to Verstappen and soon had Piastri`s McLaren close behind in his mirrors.
With ten laps remaining, Piastri inquired with McLaren if Norris was conserving his tires, suggesting he should `push soon` if he aimed to catch Verstappen. Upon being informed that Norris was already at his maximum pace, Piastri reiterated his belief that he had the potential `to catch Max`.
In the final five laps, Norris reduced the gap to 1.1 seconds, but Piastri remained within a second of him. In the last three laps, any potential change in the top three positions diminished, with Verstappen delivering a flawless performance to secure his 64th Formula 1 victory.
Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari, 16.1 seconds behind the podium positions, followed by Mercedes` George Russell in fifth and his teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who briefly led during pit stops, in sixth.
Lewis Hamilton improved one position from his qualifying result to finish seventh, ahead of a strong showing from Isack Hadjar of Red Bull`s junior team, Racing Bulls. Alex Albon scored points for the third consecutive Grand Prix this season, finishing ahead of Oliver Bearman of Haas in tenth place.
Yuki Tsunoda, who was the center of local attention after being chosen for Red Bull instead of Liam Lawson, finished 12th after starting 14th on Saturday.
Dominic Ashworth