Max Verstappen clinched his first victory of the season after engaging in a fierce battle with Lando Norris at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The two drivers have a history of on-track confrontations, with Norris previously challenging Verstappen for the title last season. Their clashes in Austria and incidents in Austin and Mexico City have fueled their intense rivalry.
While McLaren dominated the opening races of the season, Verstappen surprisingly seized pole position at Suzuka, setting the stage for a showdown with Norris.
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The pivotal moment came during the pit stop when both drivers came out side by side, and accusations of forcing off and driving onto the grass were exchanged. The stewards ruled in favor of Verstappen, who held on to his lead and closed the gap to the championship leader to just one point.
The race saw minimal action, with only Lewis Hamilton advancing to seventh place by overtaking Isack Hadjar. The top 10 remained largely unchanged, with Oscar Piastri finishing third and Charles Leclerc coming in fourth for Ferrari.
Morning rain at Suzuka cleared up before the race, and Verstappen’s strong start allowed him to maintain the lead over Norris. Despite attempts by Hamilton to move up the rankings, the frontrunners remained unchallenged, and Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive win at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Norris, unable to overtake on track, had to defend against Piastri, who was confident in his ability to challenge for the lead. Meanwhile, Hamilton struggled to make progress, expressing a need for more information on how to improve his performance.
The race concluded without major incidents, with the weather conditions significantly improving from the disruptive rain and red-flagged qualifying sessions.