Max Verstappen delivered a clinical and captivating performance at the Japanese Grand Prix, fending off the faster McLarens to claim his fourth consecutive victory at Suzuka — in what may go down as one of the finest weekends of his Formula 1 career.
While McLaren had the faster car over race distance, it was Verstappen’s stunning pole lap on Saturday — a near-perfect effort described as “insane” by his engineer and “magical” by Fernando Alonso — that laid the groundwork for a victory carved from sheer brilliance and tactical precision.
Starting ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris by just 0.012 seconds, Verstappen held the lead off the line and never relinquished it, despite persistent pressure from Norris and Oscar Piastri throughout a tense, strategy-heavy race.
How McLaren Fell Into the ‘Rabbit Hole’
McLaren had a window to undercut Verstappen through an earlier pit stop, but a combination of hesitation and an unfolding chain of rival strategies forced their hand. A dummy radio call on lap 18 failed to trigger Red Bull into pitting, and Mercedes’ stop for George Russell a lap later forced McLaren to respond with Piastri to protect his track position.
That gave Red Bull a clear signal: Norris was next. They responded decisively, bringing Verstappen in at the exact right moment. Norris had to follow a lap later, but Verstappen just edged him out of the pit lane. The two came perilously close to contact, with Norris forced onto the grass. The lead, and ultimately the race, stayed with the Dutchman.
“We’ll review everything,” said McLaren boss Andrea Stella, who admitted that a mix of low tyre degradation due to Suzuka’s new surface and strategic uncertainties left the team unable to capitalise. “Once Max nails a lap like he did, it’s hard to get out of the rabbit hole.”
A Rare Driver in Rare Form
Verstappen, competing in what many consider the third-fastest car this season, made the difference himself. His precision, poise, and pit-lane judgment proved too much for McLaren, despite their superior pace over the stints.
“Sometimes you get those weekends where everything clicks,” Verstappen said. “This was one of them.”
The result also highlights Verstappen’s enduring threat in the title fight. He’s now just one point behind Norris in the drivers’ standings, despite Red Bull’s struggles for outright pace.
A Warning Shot from Red Bull — and a Wake-Up Call for Rivals
McLaren still lead the constructors’ standings by 36 points over Mercedes, with Red Bull third — 50 points behind. But Verstappen’s performance serves as a sharp reminder that, in a tightly contested season, brilliance behind the wheel can still outpace technical advantage.
Alonso, watching closely, compared Verstappen’s effort to his own title-challenging 2012 season with Ferrari.
“Max is making the difference himself right now,” he said. “But it’s hard to keep that up over 24 races if the car isn’t the best.”
For now, Verstappen’s rivals — and particularly McLaren — know they’re not just racing Red Bull. They’re racing a driver operating at the absolute peak of his powers.
