Formula One: Max Verstappen wins Japanese Grand Prix – as it happened (2024)

And with that, I think I’m done.

So after a slight diversion in Melbourne, normal service has resumed in Japan, with Verstappen becoming the only driver other than Michael Schumacher to win three straight Japanese grand prix. He retains his play atop the championship standings, with teammate Sergio Perez sitting in second after his second-placed finish in Suzuka.

We had some early drama and a red flag when Albon and Ricciardo went off after just a few turns but once we got things re-started there was no stopping the Red Bulls, who never really looked challenged en route to a third one-two finish in just the third race of the season.

After winning in Melbourne, Sainz did a magnificent job of managing his tyres and used the advantage that gave him to storm into third place as the race concluded, one place in front of teammate Leclerc and his one-stop strategy.

Norris would finish the race in fifth and Alonso in seventh, the latter getting a good view of the battle between Piastri and Russell that went down to the final lap, the Australian arguing that he was forced off the track during the to and fro.

Hamilton followed his Mercedes teammate in ninth and it was a good day for the crowd favourite and Japanese native Tsunoda, who took the final point in tenth.

I’ve been Joey Lynch, thanks for your company today. The tour will return in two weeks time at the Shanghai International Circuit, as F1 returns to China for the first time since 2019.

Here’s how Giles Richards saw things, as Verstappen took out a ruthless win.

The Dutch and Australia anthem ring out at Suzuka. We head the Spanish and Italian anthems in Melbourne but I don’t imagine too many F1 fans have forgotten what the pair sounds like.

Race winner Max Verstappen speaks.

“It was very nice, the critical bit was the start - to stay ahead. And after that, the car got better and better for me throughout the race. Pit stops went well, strategy went well, couldn’t really have gone better.

“The last race was a little hiccup but happy to be back here and back on top. It’s fantastic to win here!”

1. Max Verstappen (26pts)

2. Sergio Perez (18)

3. Carlos Sainz (15)

4. Charles Leclerc (12)

5. Lando Norris (10)

6. Fernando Alonso (8)

7. George Russell (6)

8. Oscar Piastri (4)

9. Lewis Hamilton (2)

10. Yuki Tsunoda (1)

11. Nico Hulkenberg

12. Lance Stroll

13. Kevin Magnussen

14. Valtteri Bottas

15. Esteban Ocon

16. Pierre Gasly

17. Logan Sargeant

DNF - Zhoy Guanyu, Daniel Ricciardo, Alexander Albon

Carlos Sainz has started three races this season and been on the podium in all three, including a win in Melbourne. And he still doesn’t have a job for next season!

“I had a good race so I’m very happy,” he said. “It was quite tough out there with the degradation, but the clouds came and the degradation got easier so I thought the one-stop might be better.

“I had to overtake today and overtaking isn’t easy, it was tough out there. I knew I needed a very big delta to approach Lando and Charles and in the end we managed it, and I could get that podium.”

The favourite justifies the expecations as he goes coast-to-coast in the Japanese grand prix for the third striaght year, with his teammate Perez coming through behind him to make it a one-two Red Bull finish – the third of the season.

Sainz comes through in third, followed by Leclerc for a Ferrari three-four. Norris holds on for fifth. Meanwhile, Russell has turned on the jets on the main straight at the start of the final lap to take seventh-place from Piastri but he just couldn’t overhaul Alonso for sixth. Tsunoda finishes tenth and amongst the points in his home grand prix!

Lap 52/53: Heading into the final lap Verstappen is streets ahead, more than 13 seconds clear of second placed Perez. He then has a large gap to the Ferraris. We’re going to have a Red Bull one-two and a Ferrari three-four.

Lap 51/53: So Alonso in sixth, with just over a one second gap over seventh-placed Piastri. There’s then less than a one second gap to eighth-placed Russell. Oh, and with the freshest tyres of all, Hamilton is closing the gap from ninth, it now around two seconds.

Lap 50/53: Russell attempts an audacious move to get past Piastri, with his move down the inside seeing Piastri going off the track after a slight bump. No positions are changed and stewards are examining the incident -- albeit the coverage sees it as more good racing than malicious. Agreed.

Lap 49/53: Tsunoda remains in tenth place, looking like a good bet to take points in his home GP.

Lap 48/53: Russell has now closed the gap on seventh-placed Piastri to less than a second. It’s tight there, Alonso in sixth, Piastri seventh, and Russell eighth.

Lap 47/53: Stroll has been maing some gains and now moves into 11th after going past the both Haas cars. Russell has been closing the gap on Alonso and Piastri, who remain in a struggle for sixth.

Lap 46/53: Sainz takes advantage of the DRS and moves past the outside of Leclerc heading into turn one, Sainz now on track for a 20th career podium.

Lap 45/53: Verstappen has an eleven second lead on Perez, followed by the battle between the Ferraris for third. Norris is in fifth, then Alonso is 13 seconds back and coming under seige for his sixth place position by Piastri. Russell and Hamilton’s Mercedes follow, with Tsunoda follows in tenth.

Lap 44/53: Sainz does get ahead of Norris and now he and Leclerc can do battle for third -- they’re free to race, no orders coming from the Ferrari garage.

Lap 43/53: A big lock up from Norris puts him heavily under the pump from Sainz. With ten laps to go, the Red Bulls lead and the Ferraris are doing their bit to take third and fourth.

Lap 42/53: There’s a yellow flag in sector two because Sargeant has gone off the track. The American has now fallen to the bottom of the race standings.

Lap 41/53: Verstappen leads Perez with what is now over a nine second gap. Six and half seconds is then the gap between Perez and Leclerc, followed by Norris, Sainz, Alonso, Piastri, Rusell, Hamilton, and Tsunoda.

Lap 40/53: Hoping that the battle between Alonso and Piastri will slow them down a bit, Hamilton pits for a set of medium tyres. Any thoughts of a one-stopper from either Mercedes are now just a memory.

Lap 39/53: Hamilton is currently sitting in sixth but he’s being overhauled at a rapid, rapid rate by Alonso and Pastri, who continue to do battle for seventh place.

Lap 38/53: Russell pits again for a set of medium tyres just after Sainz blasts past his teammate Hamilton.

Verstappen leads with an eight second buffer to Perez, followed by Leclerc, Norris, Sainz, Hamilton, Alonso, Piastri, Russell, Tsunoda.

Lap 37/53: Sainz pits, emerging if seventh place, a second behind Hamilton. The youngest driver on the grid Piastri is all over the back of the grid’s oldest driver in Alonso, looking to move into eigth.

Lap 36/53: Perez blasts past Leclerc on the home straight, putting Red Bull in a very commanding position to finish one-two in Japan.

Lap 35/53: Verstappen pits without incident, emerging five seconds back of new leader Sainz but seven seconds clear of Leclerc in third. The call from the Ferrari garage is that they want Sainz to stay out there a bit longer.

Lap 34/53: Perez and Alonso both pit, the former emerging back out behind Norris but in front of the Mercedes. Alonso is back out behind Russell and Hamilton but in front of Piastri,