Categories: sports

Max Verstappen manages McLaren like the Lando Norris Reignites rivalry

Max Verstappen won his first Grand Prix of the campaign, retaining a late burden of McLaren teammates to win in Japan.

In a slow burner, the Dutchman won just over a second after a stand outing clash with Lando Norris while McLaren will answer questions about the strategy and the lack of team orders.

Max Verstappen holds McLaren to win in Japan

After a humid and windy morning in Suzuka, the Formula 1 drivers went to the grid on a drying track with Isack Hadjar signaling a “new problem, the seat moves. I’m fine but the seat is not attached. ” Lando Norris, second on the grid, also discovered a problem – the headlines on the grid starting on the weet and more slippery side of the track.

Pole-sitter Max Verstappen and Norris pointed out their first row cars to each other, Verstappen making an excellent start to lead the driver McLaren, Oscar Pitri P3.

The top ten remained as he was on the grid throughout the first round, with Fernando Alonso the first driver in motion while he was exceeding Pierre Gasly to run 11th. Behind them, Yuki Tsunoda made a better start than Liam Lawson, the driver he replaced to Red Bull.

Despite a second between him and Norris in the first three laps, Verstappen reported: “My setbacks really feel, really bad. The reverse is worse in the first sector.”

Six laps, Lewis Hamilton, having started on the hard hard tires, made the first overtaking of those inside the top ten while the Ferrari driver swept Hadjar for the seventh.

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With his resolved commissioning problems, Verstappen put two seconds between him and Norris, who led a second ahead of Piastri with Charles Leclerc Two out of the podium. The Ferrari driver had George Russell on his rear wing.

While the Stand Stop Window was opening, Verstappen continued to lead while a DRS passed and present of Pierre Gasly in 12th in Carlos Sainz in 15th prevented McLaren from trampling. McLaren tried to throw Red Bull, saying to Norris in Tour 19 of “Box to exceed Verstappen”, which followed by a “stay outside”.

Ferrari told Leclerc that they had trouble finding a gap on the train, but Mercedes launched the dice to peer Russell, which was released behind Tsunoda in the middle of the mixture Red Bull. This triggered stand stops for the first four.

Norris stop was faster than that of Verstappen, and they left the lane of the stands at the same time with Norris putting wheels on the grass at the exit. “He forced me to leave,” said Norris. Verstappen: “He rolled up on the grass.” The Red Bull driver added: “Norris also pressed his pit limiter too early, there is no way that it is legal.” McLaren informed Norris that there would be “no other action at the end of the pit”.

Kimi Antonelli, who is not yet doing, was the new race leader – a first formula 1 for the Italian teenager.

On a mixture of old and new tires, medium and hard, the action heated the race with a mixture with Verstappen exceeding Hamilton only so that the Briton stops in the stands, Hadjar passed Carlos Sainz, Gabriel Bortoleto and Oliver Bearman.

Antonelli presented the advance to Verstappen on the 32nd round, the Dutchman leading to Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Russell, Antonelli, Hamilton, Hadjar, Albon and Bearman. Top 10 as before the stands’ stops.

Starting a cat game and mouse with Verstappen putting an additional tenth between him and Norris only so that the Briton withdrew him the next round, Piastri tracked his teammate. Verstappen was informed of the communication from the driver of McLaren, was invited to “keep your head down”. Norris has completed its fastest round in the 45 round race, paid to the suggestions of team orders in McLaren.

With five to do Verstappen had 1.1 s before Norris, who had 0.6 s ahead of Piastri. They had dropped Leclerc over 10 seconds. Starting at the penultimate lap, the gaps were 1.2 and 1.4 s respectively. And before the last lap, it was 1.5 and 1.

Verstappen won the Grand Prix, the first of the season and Red Bull, in front of the teammates of McLaren with Leclerc in fourth. Mercedes’ teammates were then online, Russell leading Antonelli through the line.

Hamilton, Hadjar, Albon and Bearman finished the points. Tsunoda was 12th in his debut in Red Bull, the second RB21 for not having marked a single point, while Lawson finished 17th on his return from Bulls.

2025 Japanese GP result

1 max Verstappen Red Bull Racing
2 Lando Norris McLaren +1.423
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren +2.129
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +16.097
5 George Russell Mercedes +17.362
6 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +18,671
7 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +29.182
8 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +37.134
9 Alexander Albon Williams +40.367
10 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 +54.529 team
11 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +57.333
12 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull Racing +58.401
13 Pierre Gasly Alpine +62.122
14 Carlos Sainz Williams +74.157
15 Jack Doohan Alpine +81.314
16 Nico Hulkenberg Kick Sauber +81,910
17 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +82,436
18 ESTEBAN OCONHAAS F1 +83.241 team
19 Gabriel Bortoleto Kick Sauber +83,561
20 Stroll Aston Martin Lance +1 Tour