2025 Japanese Grand Prix: Verstappen brings McLaren to heel and revives the Formula 1 championship

🏁 The return of the king of F1 to a legendary circuit

Japan's legendary Suzuka Circuit once again lived up to its promise. This figure-eight-shaped track, one of the most demanding on the calendar, is a true test for both single-seaters and drivers. Speed, precision, and endurance are all put to the test here.

And in this theatre of pure performance, Max Verstappen set the record straight. After two first races dominated by McLaren, the three-time world champion proved that he had lost none of his talent. Thanks to a perfectly controlled race from start to finish , he secured his first victory of the season , thus completely relaunching the championship fight.

⚙️ A great start, perfect pressure management

From the moment the lights went out, Verstappen got off to a perfect start from pole position , maintaining a clean line into Turn 1 despite immediate pressure from Lando Norris . The McLaren driver, who was very aggressive in the opening laps, seemed to want to impose his pace, but Verstappen didn't waver.

The decisive moment came during the first pit stop. Norris attempted a strategic overcut , staying on track for one more lap to maximize his speed on worn tires. As he exited the pits, he found himself side by side with the Red Bull, but forced the line onto the grass to avoid contact. A bold move... but costly. He lost time and was forced to stay behind.

Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri , third, drove a very clean race but less sharp than his teammate. The young Australian was never in a position to really attack Norris, but his consistency allowed McLaren to secure another double podium .

🏎️ Ferrari solid, Mercedes on the pace, Hadjar in the points

Behind the leading trio, Charles Leclerc put in a strong performance, finishing fourth. Ferrari appeared more competitive than in the first two rounds, even if the race pace was still a notch behind the leaders. George Russell and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli followed with fifth and sixth places for Mercedes, confirming the Germans' consistency.

But one of the great stories of this Grand Prix comes from Frenchman Isack Hadjar . Driving the Racing Bulls, he took a well-deserved eighth place , scoring his first points in Formula 1. Very comfortable on the winding Japanese track, he was able to avoid the pitfalls and maintain his position against much more experienced drivers. A promising performance for the rest of his season.

🏆 Race Classification – 2025 Japanese GP

1️⃣ Max Verstappen (Red Bull · #1) 🏆
2️⃣ Lando Norris (McLaren · #4)
3️⃣Oscar Piastri (McLaren · #81)
4️⃣ Charles Leclerc (Ferrari · #16)
5️⃣ George Russell (Mercedes · #63)
6️⃣ Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes · #12)
7️⃣ Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari · #44)
8️⃣ Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls · #21)
9️⃣ Alexander Albon (Williams #23)
🔟 Oliver Bearman (Haas · #87)

📊 A fully relaunched championship

With this victory, Max Verstappen moves back to within one point of Lando Norris in the overall standings. McLaren retains the lead in the constructors' standings, but Red Bull is clearly starting to find its rhythm.

The drivers’ standings after three rounds:

• 🥇 Lando Norris (McLaren) – 62 points

• 🥈 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 61 points

• 🥉 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 49 points

And on the manufacturers’ side:

• 🧡 McLaren – 111 points

• 🖤 ​​Mercedes – 75 points

• 🔵 Red Bull – 61 points

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