SUZUKA, Japan — It was perfection, pure magic, truly inspiring. Words can hardly capture Max Verstappen`s victory at the Japanese Grand Prix. Throughout the weekend, superlatives were common, because it was truly something special.
While Sunday`s race wasn`t necessarily a thrilling spectacle, Verstappen`s performance across the weekend was exceptional. His win was built upon an incredible qualifying lap on Saturday, where he outpaced the McLarens to take pole position. Then, with his signature speed and unwavering composure, he controlled the race on Sunday, keeping the orange cars at bay, even when many believed they had the fastest car on the grid.
Speaking immediately after the race, Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen`s long-time race engineer, perfectly summarized the performance: `That’s perfection. Just perfection, Max. Fantastic.` It was difficult to disagree. Aside from a brief period during pit stops and a close moment with Lando Norris on pit exit, Verstappen was in complete control. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner described the four-time world champion`s drive as `inspirational` in his congratulatory message on the cool-down lap.
This victory moved Verstappen to within a single point of Norris in the championship standings after just three races. This is particularly impressive considering McLaren’s pace this season and Red Bull’s ongoing challenges with their RB21 car. The weekend further cemented Verstappen`s reputation as someone capable of achieving extraordinary results with any car he drives.
Never in doubt
Leading up to the Japanese Grand Prix, much of the focus was on Red Bull`s decision to give Verstappen his third different teammate in just four races. Yuki Tsunoda replaced Liam Lawson, who became the latest victim of the challenging second Red Bull seat, finishing last in both the sprint and the grand prix in China. Tsunoda showed promising pace early in the weekend, closely matching Verstappen in Friday practice. However, a messy lap in Q2 resulted in a poor qualifying position when it mattered most.
Verstappen`s incredible pole lap in Q3 highlighted the gap between the two teammates. Fernando Alonso, a two-time world champion and Le Mans 24 Hours winner, watched in amazement as Verstappen`s lap unfolded and his name climbed to the top of the timing charts.
`He’s an outstanding driver. He’s proving it every weekend,` Alonso commented afterwards. `Hats off to him. His lap today was all him. The car isn`t at a level to fight for pole or even the top five, but he manages these magical laps and weekends. Right now, he’s the best, the benchmark for everyone, and we need to improve to reach his level.`
This high standard set by Verstappen is at the heart of Red Bull`s struggles with their second car. Verstappen`s exceptional talent has been clear since his Formula 1 debut. His ability to push every car to its absolute limit, and beyond, has become increasingly evident in recent seasons. In 2024, despite starting with a dominant car, his championship victory relied on consistently scoring points as Red Bull`s performance began to decline. Teammates have simply been unable to match his level.
A simplified explanation of Red Bull’s car design philosophy might be: `If Verstappen can drive it, we’ll build it.` This approach has yielded four drivers` championships. However, a consequence emerged last year when the RB20 became more difficult to handle, a temperamental machine that even Verstappen disliked by mid-season. Sergio Pérez`s performance suffered significantly, and Red Bull lost the constructors` championship. Verstappen, however, managed to secure enough points, including impressive wins like in Brazil, to clinch his fourth consecutive title.
The true performance level of the RB21 remains unclear in the F1 paddock, partly because the second car doesn`t provide a reliable benchmark. The age-old debate of driver versus machine continues in Formula 1. Some believe the Red Bull car is better than it`s given credit for. Regardless of opinions on car performance, most at Red Bull agree this was an exceptional weekend for Verstappen.
`I think this was one of Max’s best weekends,` said Horner, team boss since Red Bull`s inception. `We drastically changed the car setup. He worked closely with the engineers. Finally, we gave him a car he could maximize in Q3, resulting in a stunning lap. He then converted that into a hard-fought victory today. This puts him just one point behind in the Drivers` Championship. We managed to get the car into a good operating window, and Max Verstappen showed why he deserves the No. 1 on his car.`
The praise for Verstappen was loudest after qualifying, but his podium finish, alongside the two drivers expected to contend for the championship, reflected the respect he commands in the paddock.
When asked if his performance with the RB21 felt as special to him as it appeared, Verstappen said: `Yes, it does. It shows I really care, even though it hasn`t been the easiest start to the year. We aren`t where we want to be in terms of performance, that’s no secret. But this weekend has been really, really nice.`
`I ignore both the positives and negatives. I stay focused and concentrate on my own performance. I just keep working hard.`
Can Verstappen make it a three-way fight?
In three races, three different drivers have converted pole position into wins: Norris in Australia, Piastri in China, and now Verstappen in Japan. These three shared the podium at Suzuka. Norris had dismissed talk of McLaren having an unbeatable car as `nonsense` earlier in the week, indicating they see Verstappen as a key competitor in the title race.
`We treat Max and Red Bull as serious rivals,` said McLaren team principal Andrea Stella. `When Max raises the bar so high, you have to perfect every lap in qualifying and find every possible millisecond.`
Whether Verstappen can maintain this fight throughout the season is a major question, especially if Red Bull can improve their car as McLaren did last year. When asked if Verstappen could contend all year, Alonso recalled his 2012 season, where he narrowly missed a championship in a car that was often only the fourth fastest.
Shaking his head, Alonso said: `I don’t know. I’ve been in that position, fighting for championships with the fourth-fastest car. It’s very difficult to beat someone like [Sebastian] Vettel. I hope he can fight until the end, but they need to improve the car a bit.`
`He’s won four titles, so he can compete with a slightly less competitive car. But it’s incredibly hard, and people don’t realize how perfect you need to be every weekend. He’s doing that so far. It reminds me of 2012, when our car wasn`t great, but we fought for the championship. Winning it is another matter, but I hope he can.`
McLaren’s internal competition will also benefit Verstappen. Piastri has started strongly, consistently matching Norris`s pace more closely than last year. The fact Piastri suggested a position swap with Norris late in the race hints at the challenges McLaren anticipates managing two top drivers competing for the title as the season progresses.
As always happens when teammates are in championship contention, a breaking point is inevitable. Any rival team, especially with a driver as talented as Verstappen, can capitalize on such situations to secure a championship, regardless of car improvements.
Verstappen responded to the suggestion of a three-way championship fight characteristically. When asked if 2025 was a three-way battle, he replied: `I don’t know. It’s a very long season. Many things can happen. What’s important is to maximize your performance, that`s all you can control. That`s what I`ll try to do.`
Verstappen`s greatness is understated, relentless, and undeniable.
Dominic Ashworth