Formula One leader Max Verstappen ran away with the Japanese Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday as his dominant Red Bull team secured the constructors’ title for the second year in a row.
The victory at Suzuka was the Dutch driver’s 13th in 16 races this season and left him on the brink of a third world championship after Mexican teammate Sergio Perez, his closest rival, failed to finish.
McLaren’s Lando Norris and Australian rookie Oscar Piastri, on a grand prix podium for the first time, finished second and third, respectively.
Verstappen, who also took the fastest lap bonus and now leads Perez by a massive 177 points, can seal his third drivers’ title in a row with five rounds to spare at next month’s Qatar Grand Prix.
That could even come on a Saturday, with Qatar a sprint weekend carrying extra points. Verstappen now has 400 points to the Mexican’s 223 while Red Bull have an unassailable lead of 318 points over Mercedes.
The constructors’ title was Red Bull’s sixth since they entered the sport in 2005 and it came at a circuit owned by engine partner Honda.
“Max, that was absolutely fantastic,” said team boss Christian Horner over the radio in congratulating him on a 48th career win and Red Bull’s 15th of the season.
“You were totally awesome and dominant this weekend.”
Verstappen, who celebrates his 26th birthday before the next race, thanked the team in reply for the “unbelievable season” they are having.
“You can all be very proud here at the track and back at the factory. You have built a rocket ship of a car,” he added, after taking the chequered flag 19.387 seconds ahead of Norris, whose second place was the Briton’s fourth in seven races.
Double podium
McLaren’s first double podium of the season, with team orders ultimately deciding the positions on strategy, cemented their growing status as Red Bull’s closest challengers on track.
“We’re not close to Max but we are not miles away either so I’m very happy,” said Norris. “We’re getting there. We are pushing and the progress we have made is pretty outstanding.”
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished fourth with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton fifth in a bouncing, sliding Mercedes that he said left him exhausted.
