Max Verstappen, Victory a Strong Comeback

Just two weeks ago in Melbourne, Australia, Max Verstappen suffered an unexpected setback, as his typically flawless performance in Formula 1 was momentarily interrupted. On the fourth lap of the race, his rear brakes caught fire, forcing him to retire prematurely.

Verstappen’s dominance was evident as he led the race virtually from start to finish, only briefly relinquishing the lead after a pit stop. He crossed the finish line with a comfortable margin, with his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez trailing behind by 12.5 seconds, followed by Carlos Sainz of Ferrari, who was 20 seconds adrift.

As the three-time defending F1 champion, Verstappen continues to assert his dominance this season, maintaining his position as the points leader. With this victory, he has now secured 22 wins out of the last 26 races since the beginning of the 2023 season. The only other drivers to have claimed victory during this period are his Red Bull teammate Perez and Sainz, who emerged victorious in Australia just two weeks ago.

In response to a question, Sainz hinted at the overwhelming dominance of Verstappen and Red Bull, suggesting that the championship may already be decided after just four races out of 24.

“I believe they will certainly maintain an advantage in the initial phase of the season until we introduce one or two upgrades,” remarked Sainz. “However, by the time those upgrades come into play, it might be too late to close the gap in the championship.”

Verstappen, on the other hand, maintained a cautious outlook, acknowledging that the season is far from decided and hinted at potential challenges for Red Bull in street races.

“While it’s true that Red Bull has performed exceptionally well so far, we must remember that it’s still early in the season,” Verstappen commented. “I prefer not to speculate too much about the remainder of the season at this stage.”

The Japanese Grand Prix encountered a sudden red flag just moments into the highly anticipated first lap when Alex Albon and Daniel Ricciardo made contact at the second turn, leading to a collision that forced both drivers out of the race.

Despite the early chaos, the remainder of the race unfolded relatively smoothly.

Verstappen, who clinched victory in commanding fashion, reflected on his flawless performance, stating, “The key was nailing the start and maintaining the lead thereafter. From there, the car’s performance only improved with each lap. It couldn’t have gone any better.”

Fortunately, both Albon and Ricciardo emerged from the wreckage seemingly unscathed. However, the race had to be momentarily halted to remove the cars from the track and clear the debris, resulting in a 30-minute delay before the restart.

Verstappen’s triumph, marking his 57th career win, propelled him to a season points total of 77, placing him 13 points ahead of teammate Perez, who sits at 64. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc closely follows with 59 points, while Sainz trails with 55 points to his name.

“It’s incredibly gratifying to secure victory, especially here in Japan,” Verstappen expressed, acknowledging the significance of the race for his team, which benefits from a Honda engine. “This race holds great importance for us, and winning in front of Honda adds to the excitement.”

Reflecting on his earlier setback in Melbourne, Verstappen emphasized, “The race in Melbourne felt like a minor setback. However, our performance today is exactly what we strive for and aim to replicate every race weekend.”

Meanwhile, Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda, representing the RB team, clinched the 10th spot, earning a valuable point for his efforts.

Looking ahead, the next race on the F1 calendar is the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, scheduled in two weeks’ time. Notably, F1 has not held a race in Shanghai since 2019, with four previous attempts being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The upcoming F1 race weekend in China is poised to be particularly eventful, with the inclusion of an F1 sprint race scheduled a day before the Grand Prix. However, this addition will inevitably reduce practice time on an unfamiliar track, leading to a more challenging preparation process.

Expressing his thoughts on the matter, Verstappen commented, “It’s going to be quite hectic. We haven’t been there in a while — only one practice session to get into it again. So I think it will be quite interesting.”

While acknowledging the potential excitement it may bring for fans, Verstappen, along with Perez and Sainz, voiced their concerns about the sprint race cutting into valuable practice time. Despite the entertainment value it may offer, they emphasized the importance of adequate preparation, especially on a track that has not been visited in several years.

“I think it’s not great,” Verstappen remarked. “When you have been away from a track for quite a while, you never know what you’re going to experience. It would have been better to have a normal race weekend.”

Sainz echoed similar sentiments, stating, “I think it’s not a good choice to put the sprint after four or five years’ absence. We also heard there is resurfacing going on.”