In an incredible scenario, Max Verstappen took victory at Suzuka and his second World Drivers’ Championship title.
It’s in a general misunderstanding the Japanese Grand Prix has ended. The result, however, was formalized : Max Verstappen (Red Bull) is sacred for the second time of his career.
In taming the rain, the Dutchman was ahead his teammate Sergio Perez (Red Bull) and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari).
A long wait after departure
Whereas departure has been given to 7am (French time), Verstappen and Leclerc battled in the first bend.
Behind Carlos Sainz loses his Ferrari in the second sector of the Suzuka circuit. Immediate result: red flag and interruption of the race.
A scenario which recalls that of Spa-Francorchamps in 2021 since it will be necessary to wait almost two o’clock to see the race restart.
as per the rulean event cannot last longer than 3 hoursit was only 40 minutes of racing that we had this morning.
This event is just the beginning of a strange Grand Prix and surprising decisions.
The first highlight of this Grand Prix is the appearance of a crane on the track while the pilots were still driving.
Images which are reminiscent the tragic 2014 Japanese Grand Prix and the accident by Jules Bianchi.
Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri) was very annoyed in his stand during the red flag. He will even explain to the media after the race that he has moved on to 2 meters of death. The FIA for his part considers that it is the French pilot who is at fault.
A few hours later, it was during the checkered flag that misunderstanding is at the highest. Logically, the pilots should have done a lap more at the end of the stopwatch, which was not the case at Suzuki.
Worse still, the teams were persuaded that there was still a lap while not. For his part Verstappen was not even show as he crossed the finish line as a winner.
Finally, the FIA awarded the whole points. This is about section 6.5 of the rules which indicates that full points will be given if the race ends on track even after appearance of red flag and it doesn’t matter the duration of the test.
🗨️ “It’s disrespectful to Jules (…) I’m just happy to be alive. We’ve talked about it a million times”
The big rant and the emotion of Pierre Gasly after the incident involving a tractor on the track at the start of #JapaneseGP 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/OTlLExpsN3
Drag Race: Porsche Carrera GT vs. Lexus LFA! (+ video)
The day when: Ayrton Senna made the Honda NSX-R roar at Suzuka! (+ video)
Erling Haaland: in the garage of the “cyborg” of football! (in images, in pictures)
The coronation for Max Verstappen
The last round will have been marked by the dual between Leclerc and Perez. The Ferrari driver cut the last bend in tamping the Mexican at the exit of this one.
The commissioners imposed 5 seconds penalty to Leclerc, thus downgrading him to third place. Direct consequence: that offer the title to Verstappen.
It’s in a misunderstanding total that the Dutch learned the new. Comical scenes but which demonstrate a serious problem at the level of clarity rules.
Liberty Media and the FIA they search show, show. We had some this morningbut not in common sense of the term.
Before wanting multiply the number of Grand Prix, it might be preferable to adjust the regulations in order to to avoid an incredible situation as was the case at Suzuki.
Top 10 is completed by Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), Fernando Alonso (Alpine), George Russell (Mercedes), Nicholas Latifi (Williams) and Lando Norris (McLaren).
Whatever happens the pilots will travel to Austin in the United States in two weeks. Verstappen will have the opportunity to win a 13th successenough to equal the record in one season.
