Max Verstappen dominated the Japanese Grand Prix, maintaining his lead from the beginning to the end and clinching his third victory in four races.
Despite a setback in Australia, Verstappen affirmed that he has moved past that “hiccup” following his triumph in Japan. In the third round of the season, Verstappen faced an early retirement due to a right rear brake issue, allowing Carlos Sainz from Ferrari to claim the victory.
However, such concerns were absent in Japan as Verstappen, the three-time world champion, controlled the race, securing his 57th career win starting from pole position.
Verstappen emphasized the significance of staying ahead during the race’s start and the subsequent restart after a brief red flag. “It was very nice,” Verstappen remarked. “I think the critical bit was the start, to stay ahead.
“And after that, actually the car just got better and better for me throughout the race. I don’t know if it had to do with the clouds coming in but everything just went really well. The pitstops went well, strategy worked out well. So it couldn’t have been any better.
“It was a little hiccup [at] the last race, but I’m very happy that we’re here back on top. Great [for] fans in front of Honda as well, it’s great to win here.”
The upcoming round of the world championship is scheduled to occur at the Shanghai International Circuit, marking F1’s return to China for the first time since 2019.
Additionally, the weekend will introduce the first sprint round of the season, introducing another dimension to what promises to be a demanding weekend for the drivers.
Verstappen offered a preview, stating, “It’s going to be quite hectic anyway with the sprint weekend. But then of course we haven’t been there for a while. Only one practice session to really get into it again so I think it will be quite interesting.”
