Max Verstappen wins the fourth consecutive victory of the Japanese GP before Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri – Firstpost

The world champion Max Verstappen banned his misery at the start of the season with a fourth consecutive victory of pole on flat at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, holding the McLarens previously dominant with a certain facility for his first victory of the year.

Verstappen crossed the line in its Red Bull for its 64th Grand Prix victory at a huge ovation of the crowd from 115,000 to around 1.4 seconds before the leader of the McLaren championship, Lando Norris, in second place.

“I am incredibly happy. This weekend started quite hard but we did not give up, I continued to improve the car. Today, it was on its best shape,” said Verstappen, the first pilot to win four times in Suzuka.

Norris’ advance on Verstappen in the pilot ranking was reduced to a point after an unanswered race actually decided during the qualifications on Saturday.

“Max has taken a good race today, no mistakes,” said Norris, who won the opening race of the season in Melbourne.

“It was a flat race from start to finish, so difficult, but just not enough today, nothing special that we had so that we could go up Max.”

Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren, which won the last time in China, completed the podium in third place in its 24th birthday when the first six ended because they had started on the grid.

The 20 cars crossed the line after 53 laps without rain, none of the herbs on the track which has disrupted the practice and not a single yellow flag.

Charles Leclerc de Ferrari finished fourth, the Mercedes by George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli finished fifth and sixth with Lewis Hamilton seventh in the other Ferrari after having set up a place in the race.

The recruit of Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar was eighth, Alex Albon de Williams Ninth, while the adolescent Ollie Bearman took the last point in 10th for Haas.

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Verstappen escaped properly on a wet track under cover conditions on the circuit of the eight figure and, although he informed his team of first speed changes, quickly opened a difference of two seconds on Norris.

The world champion seven times Hamilton played on hard tires to start the race and slipped Hadjar to the round in the race.

Yuki Tsunoda from Japan, making his debut to Red Bull after being pushed back racing Bulls in place of Liam Lawson last week, made a personal point by exceeding New Zealanders for 13th place in the first laps.

Tsunoda finished 12th with Lawson 17th for racing bulls.

Norris had reduced the two -second Verstappen gap at the time when they went for new tires in the 22nd round, but the Briton complained that his Dutch rival had forced him on the grass while the two came out of the lane of the stands.

“It was still in advance, it tightens in one, and Max is the last guy I expect to give myself any space,” said Norris afterwards.

However, the stewards did not gain a measure, and Verstappen was back in front of once the stand stops took place, but only after Antonelli, 18, was briefly became the youngest driver to direct a Grand Prix.

Australian Piastri has hardly supported his teammate in the last 10 laps and told the team that he felt that he had the pace of pee versatapen at the post, but Norris held his post when his Dutch rival has accessed victory.

“The track position here is so important. Yesterday was the day you win the race and did not do a good job,” said Australian Piastri.

“I felt that if I had the track position, I could go and become maximum, but that’s what happens when you qualify behind.”