Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen secured his first win of the 2025 season at the Suzuka circuit, becoming the first driver to achieve four consecutive Japanese Grand Prix victories.
After taking the lead from pole position, Verstappen managed to maintain a narrow advantage over the hard-charging McLarens throughout the first stint. He successfully defended against a pit exit challenge from Lando Norris during their sole pit stops on the same lap.
In a display of skill and determination, Verstappen closed out his first win since the Qatar Grand Prix last year in style. He managed to control his tire wear and maintain a steady pace, crossing the finish line with a 1.4-second lead over Norris. Oscar Piastri secured third place, six tenths behind Verstappen.
Verstappen reflected on the challenging race, stating, “It was tough, pushing very hard, especially on the second stint. The two McLarens were pushing me relentlessly, but it was an exhilarating experience. Managing the tires was a challenge, but I’m incredibly happy with the outcome. The weekend started off tough, but we refused to give up. We continuously improved the car, and today, it was in its optimal form. Starting on pole position certainly played a crucial role in our victory.”
After taking the lead ahead of Norris at the start, Verstappen set out to build a significant gap between himself and the McLarens. Despite complaining about poor upshifts, he managed to extend his lead to 1.4 seconds over Norris by lap five. Piastri was still in third place, approximately a second behind Verstappen.
As the opening stint approached the pit window, Piastri was the first of the leaders to blink. At the end of lap 20, he made a pit stop for a set of hard tires, prompting Red Bull to do the same for Verstappen at the end of the next lap. McLaren responded by pitting Norris on the same lap.
McLaren was quicker to fit a set of hard tires to Norris’ car, and when Verstappen exited the pit lane, Norris pulled out into the working lane almost alongside him. Verstappen held his line in the fast lane, despite Norris’ protest that he had been forced onto the grass at the side of the pit exit. Race Control ruled that there was nothing to investigate, and Verstappen maintained his lead on the road.
With the pit stops out of the way, Verstappen was now 1.4 seconds ahead of Norris, with Piastri another two seconds behind in third place. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc held fourth place, five seconds behind the lead, with Mercedes’ George Russell and Kimi Antonelli in fifth and sixth places. There was also a moment of history made by the young Mercedes driver as Kimi Antonelli became the youngester ever driver to lead an F1 race after being the last of the top runners to pit.
With 20 laps remaining, Verstappen was given the freedom to push, but he couldn’t shake the McLarens, who continued to exert maximum pressure. However, Verstappen remained flawless, and he delivered a flawless closing third of the race to secure his first win since last year’s race in Qatar and the 64th of his career.
Behind the top three, Leclerc held fourth place, ahead of Russell, who managed to get within 1.3 seconds of the Ferrari in the final stages but couldn’t quite overtake the Monegasque driver. Mercedes rookie Antonio Giovinazzi finished sixth, while Lewis Hamilton secured seventh place by racing on a hard-medium strategy in contrast to the majority of the field. Isack Hadjar impressed with an eighth-place finish, earning his first F1 points for the Racing Bulls, ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon. The final point went to Haas’ Ollie Bearman.