Max Verstappen wins in Japan and takes second F1 title

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wrapped up a second successive Formula One title on Sunday with victory in a rain-shortened Japanese Grand Prix after his closest rival Charles Leclerc was hit with a post-race penalty.

Dutchman Verstappen had crossed the road forward of the Ferrari driver who, defending towards the opposite Red Bull of Sergio Perez, took the chequered flag a distant second.

But the Monegasque had 5 seconds added to his race time for slicing throughout the ultimate chicane on the final lap which dropped him down to 3rd.

“It’s a crazy feeling of course as I didn’t expect it when I crossed the line,” mentioned Verstappen amid confusion over whether or not lowered factors beneath new guidelines launched this yr would apply with the race working to only over its midway mark.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, proper, of the Netherlands is sprayed with champagne by second positioned teammate Sergio Perez of Mexico on podium throughout the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix on the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022.(AP Photo/Toru Hanai)

“Was it going to be half points, I didn’t know how many points I was going to get,” he added.

The sport’s governing FIA clarified that the lowered factors rule solely applies to races which might be suspended and can’t be resumed.

Sunday’s race was halted after two laps because of heavy rain nevertheless it resumed a bit of over two hours later, with drivers finishing 28 of the scheduled 53 laps and full factors awarded.

Verstappen consequently leaves Japan with a 113-point margin over Perez, who now strikes into second within the general standings. He wanted at the very least 112-point margin to his closest challenger to be topped champion on Sunday.

Verstappen’s win in Japan was his twelfth from 18 races. With 4 races left, the Dutchman is heading in the right direction to beat the file for many wins in a season which, shared by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, stands at 13.

“Max has just been incredible,” mentioned Leclerc, the early title favorite who held a 46-point lead over Verstappen after the opening three races.

“It’s a title totally deserved.

“We will try to push over the last four races to improve as a team and hopefully put more of a challenge next year.”

Verstappen began Sunday’s race from pole.

He was crushed off the road by Leclerc within the moist however went wheel-to-wheel with the Ferrari, spray streaming behind them, over the primary two corners and seized again the initiative.

Incidents involving a number of automobiles introduced out the protection automotive earlier than the opening lap may very well be accomplished, whereas a restoration car deployed on the monitor precipitated alarm as Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri sped previous.

The circumstances pressured a halt to the race on the second lap and, after the two-hour delay, it resumed with a rolling begin.

But Verstappen disappeared into the space and was categorized as having completed 27 seconds away from his workforce mate.