2.Red Bull cut adrift in Honda’s heartland
Two victories for Max Verstappen earlier this season might have given Honda reason for optimism ahead of its home grand prix, but the Red Bull teams proved to be bit-part players on race day at Suzuka despite running a much-publicised new fuel blend.
On the upside, since all the Honda drivers took new engines and bore the brunt of the associated penalties last time out in Russia, there were no blow-ups on the day – nor indeed any reason to blame Honda for the ‘senior’ Red Bull team not being in the fight up front.
Both Verstappen and Alex Albon set identical times in qualifying, though Verstappen complained of a mystery power loss. They were fifth and sixth on the grid, albeit almost eight tenths off pole position pace, but Verstappen’s excellent start took him past Hamilton and could have put him between the Ferraris but for Leclerc’s clumsiness at Turn 2. Verstappen was blameless in the shunt, and although he initially rejoined the race his car was too badly damaged to make any headway, and he parked it on lap 14.
“We had a really good start for once,” Verstappen grumbled. “Then Charles just drove into the side of my car. I didn’t think I could have done anything different. We all know you lose downforce behind another car so that’s not an excuse.”
Albon dropped behind the Mclarens of Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris at the start, then contrived to clatter into Norris at the chicane on the fourth lap as he dived up the inside. He was lucky to escape sanction for this and kept his nose clean for the remainder, finally getting by Sainz when the Mclaren made its sole stop at half distance, and was classified fourth.