SUZUKA, Japan — It was perfection. It was magical. It was inspirational. Whatever word you choose to describe Max Verstappen`s victory at the Japanese Grand Prix, it was undeniably special.
While the race itself might not be remembered as a classic, Verstappen`s performance throughout the weekend was exceptional. His win was built upon a stunning qualifying lap that secured pole position ahead of McLaren, followed by his signature pace and unwavering composure during the race. He consistently kept the McLarens at bay, even amidst suggestions that they possess the fastest car in Formula 1.
Speaking immediately after the race, engineer Gianpiero Lambiase perfectly summarized Verstappen`s drive: `That was perfection. Just perfection, Max. Fantastic.` It was difficult to disagree. Apart from a brief period during pit stops and a close call with Lando Norris upon exiting the pits, Verstappen was in complete control. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner described the four-time world champion`s performance as `inspirational`.
This victory moves Verstappen within one point of Norris in the championship standings after just three races. This is particularly impressive considering McLaren`s strong pace this season and Red Bull`s ongoing challenges with their RB21 car. The weekend further cemented Verstappen`s reputation as a driver capable of achieving extraordinary results with any car.
Undisputed Dominance
Prior to the Japanese Grand Prix, much of the focus was on Red Bull`s decision to give Verstappen his third teammate in just four races, with Yuki Tsunoda replacing Liam Lawson. Lawson, unfortunately, became the latest victim of the challenging second Red Bull seat, finishing last in both the sprint and the grand prix in China. Tsunoda showed promising pace early in the weekend, closely matching Verstappen in Friday practice sessions, but a less-than-ideal lap in Q2 resulted in a lower grid position.
Verstappen`s incredible pole lap in Q3 starkly contrasted the performance of the two teammates. Fernando Alonso, a two-time world champion and Le Mans winner, watched in awe as Verstappen`s lap unfolded, ultimately placing him at the top of the timing sheets.
`He`s an outstanding driver. He proves it every weekend,` Alonso commented afterwards. `My hat is off to him. I believe his pole lap was solely down to his skill. The car is clearly not capable of fighting for pole or even the top five, but he manages to produce these magical laps and weekends. Currently, he is the best, the benchmark for all of us, and we must continue to improve to reach his level.`
This high standard set by Verstappen has been central to Red Bull`s struggles with their second car. Verstappen`s exceptional talent has been evident since his Formula 1 debut, but his ability to push every car to its absolute limit, and beyond, has become increasingly clear in recent seasons. In 2024, despite starting with a dominant car, his championship victory relied on consistent points scoring as Red Bull`s overall performance began to decline. Teammates have simply been unable to match his level of performance.
A simplified explanation of Red Bull`s car design philosophy might be: `If Verstappen can drive it, we will build it.` This approach has yielded four drivers` championships. However, a consequence emerged last year as the RB20 became more challenging to handle, even for Verstappen by mid-season. Sergio Pérez`s performance suffered significantly, and Red Bull lost the constructors` championship. Verstappen, however, still managed to secure his fourth consecutive individual title through consistent point accumulation and brilliant wins.
The true performance level of the RB21 remains debatable within the Formula 1 paddock, as the lack of a strong reference point from the second car makes it difficult to assess. The perennial debate of driver versus machine is ongoing in Formula 1, with some believing the Red Bull car is better than perceived. Regardless of opinions on car performance, few within Red Bull could recall a more impressive overall performance from Verstappen.
`I believe this was one of Max`s best weekends,` Horner commented on Sunday. `We completely changed the car setup. He worked closely with the engineering team. Ultimately, we provided him with a car he could maximize in Q3, resulting in a stunning lap. He then converted that into a hard-fought victory. This puts him just one point behind in the Drivers` Championship. We managed to get the car into a good window, and Max Verstappen demonstrated why he deserves the number one on his car.`
The praise for Verstappen was loudest after qualifying, but his victory, alongside the two McLaren drivers expected to be his main rivals, solidified the respect he commands throughout the paddock.
When asked if his performance with the RB21 felt as special to him as it seemed to others, Verstappen replied: `Yes, it does. It shows how much I care, even though the start of the year hasn`t been the easiest for us. We aren`t where we want to be in terms of performance, that`s no secret. But this weekend has been really, really good.`
`I don`t pay attention to excessive praise or criticism. I stay grounded and focus on my own performance. I just keep working hard.`
Can Verstappen Turn This Into a Three-Way Championship Battle?
In three races, three different drivers have converted pole position into victory: Norris in Australia, Piastri in China, and now Verstappen in Japan. These three drivers also shared the podium at Suzuka. Norris downplayed suggestions of McLaren having an unbeatable car, and the team clearly sees Verstappen as a major contender in their title fight.
`We treat Max and Red Bull as formidable opponents,` said McLaren team principal Andrea Stella. `When Max performs at such a high level, you have to execute perfectly in qualifying and extract every possible millisecond.`
Whether Verstappen can remain in this championship fight could be a key storyline of the season, especially if Red Bull can improve their car as McLaren did last year. Alonso, reflecting on his 2012 season where he narrowly missed the championship with a less competitive car, acknowledged the difficulty of such a challenge.
Shaking his head, Alonso said: `I`ve been in that position, fighting for championships with the fourth-fastest car. It`s incredibly difficult, as it was for me to beat Vettel. I hope he can compete until the end, but they need to improve their car a bit.`
`He has won four championships, so he can contend even with a slightly less competitive car. But it`s incredibly challenging, and people underestimate how difficult it is to be perfect every weekend, which he is doing. It reminds me of my 2012 season, where the car wasn`t the best, but we fought for the championship. Whether he can win it in the end, we`ll see. I hope he can.`
McLaren`s internal competition will also benefit Verstappen. Piastri`s strong start to the season and consistent pace relative to Norris could lead to internal team battles, potentially opening opportunities for rivals. Any tension within McLaren could be advantageous to a driver of Verstappen`s caliber, providing a legitimate chance at a fifth title, regardless of Red Bull`s car improvements.
Verstappen`s response to the three-way championship discussion was characteristically understated. When asked if it was a three-way fight, he said: `I don`t know. It`s still a very long season. Many things can happen. The important thing is to always maximize your performance. That`s the only thing you can control. That`s what I will focus on.`
Verstappen`s greatness speaks for itself – understated, relentless, and impossible to ignore.
