2025 Japan Grand Prix: Max Verstappen Dominates Suzuka to Seal First Win of the Season; Holds Off McLaren Charge

Max Verstappen secured his first victory of the 2025 Formula 1 season with a composed and controlled performance at the Japanese Grand Prix, fending off late pressure from McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to take his fourth consecutive win at the iconic Suzuka Circuit.

Starting from pole position, the reigning World Champion led comfortably in the early stages of the race, keeping the McLaren threat at bay. However, a brief moment of tension emerged during the first round of pit stops when a slightly delayed stop by Verstappen allowed Norris to draw alongside him at the pit exit. The McLaren driver was forced to veer onto the grass in a bid to avoid contact, but Verstappen held his ground and rejoined the track ahead.

Both drivers aired their grievances over team radio, though the stewards opted against launching a formal investigation, classifying the incident as a racing matter.

Verstappen gradually built a buffer over Norris in the laps that followed, but the closing stages of the race saw the contest tighten once more. As Oscar Piastri began to close the gap to his teammate, Norris responded by increasing his pace and chipping away at Verstappen’s lead. Ultimately, the Dutchman managed his tyres effectively and crossed the finish line 3.2 seconds ahead of Norris to register the 64th Grand Prix win of his career.

Behind the leading trio, Charles Leclerc took a solid fourth-place finish for Ferrari. Mercedes’ George Russell came home fifth, just ahead of his rookie teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who briefly led the race during the pit stop phase thanks to a long opening stint on the hard tyres. The young Italian once again impressed, continuing a consistent start to his debut season, beating Lewis Hamilton's 2019 record with a 1m 30.965s in today's race. 

Speaking of the British racer, Hamilton added to Ferrari’s points tally with a seventh-place finish following his switch from Mercedes over the winter. Rookie Isack Hadjar produced a clean and efficient drive for Racing Bulls to claim his first career points in eighth.

Williams’ Alex Albon finished ninth, while Haas’ Ollie Bearman rounded out the points in tenth after a measured drive under pressure in the closing stages. Fernando Alonso narrowly missed out in 11th but completed his first race of the season after DNFs in both Australia and China. 

Yuki Tsunoda, making his Red Bull Racing debut on home soil, finished 12th. Despite failing to score points, the Japanese driver earned the Driver of the Day accolade, highlighting his popularity with the local fans. Former teammate Pierre Gasly followed in 13th for Alpine, ahead of Carlos Sainz in the second Williams.

Alpine's Jack Doohan came home 15th, followed by Nico Hülkenberg in 16th for Kick Sauber. Liam Lawson marked his return to F1 with a 17th-place finish for Racing Bulls. Esteban Ocon was 18th in the second Haas, while Gabriel Bortoleto and Lance Stroll completed the order in 19th and 20th respectively.

Verstappen’s victory sees him close the gap in the drivers’ championship to just one point behind leader Lando Norris. Piastri’s podium moves him up to third, displacing George Russell in the standings as the season begins to take shape.

2025 Driver Standings