Red Bull one-two in Suzuka
Max Verstappen led teammate Sergio Pérez to an easy Red Bull Racing one-two finish at the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix last Sunday (Apr 7).
Verstappen and Pérez started from the front row of the grid in Suzuka and comfortably led away the field from the line, but the race was quickly suspended when Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon tangled at high speed at turn 3, forcing both drivers from the race.
The subsequent delay of more than half an hour had no effect on Verstappen and Pérez’s plans for domination, with both executing strong starts at the second time of asking to take the lead of the race.
Verstappen quickly took the race into his own hands, eking out an advantage over his teammate that would never be closed to cruise to 12-second victory and average his failure to finish the previous race in Melbourne.
“It was a very, very good win,’ he said afterwards. “After the first stint some tiny adjustments were made to the car, and that helped me then to feel even more comfortable. Whenever I needed to go faster, I could. Whenever I needed to look after my tyres, I could.
“That’s always a very nice feeling to have once you’re driving.”
Pérez’s first stint undid any potential bid for victory, with the Mexican uncomfortable on his opening set of medium tyres.
Lando Norris, starting third, seized the opportunity to undercut, making his first pit stop early to gain track position on Pérez when he made his own stop four laps later.
It was only a minor inconvenience. Pérez has been in fine form all weekend, and he made short work of the McLaren with a dive into the chicane to retake second place and complete the team’s third one-two from four races so far this season.
Carlos Sainz completed the podium for the third time this year after a strategic duel with Norris and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.
“Very satisfying,” Sainz said of
Ferrari’s strong start to the year. “We exactly improved the car in the places that we wanted to improve it, and Suzuka proves it.
“Still at places like Suzuka we are not as quick as the Red Bull, which is the target, but as soon as we bring a good upgrade to the car that goes in the right direction, hopefully it can get us closer.”
Leclerc’s improbable one-stop race at the high-degradation circuit secured him fourth ahead of Norris in fifth.
Fernando Alonso was a clever sixth for Aston Martin after fending off late attacks from George Russell and Oscar Piastri, while Lewis Hamilton finished in ninth with Yuki Tsunoda scoring the final point of his home grand prix in 10th.