The 2025 Japanese Grand Prix will remain in memories. On the legendary Suzuka circuit, the stage of so many epic battles, the drivers offered a breathtaking spectacle to the 90,000 passionate fans packed in the grandstands. And after 53 laps of an intense race, it was Max Verstappen who triumphed, claiming his first victory of the season behind the wheel of his Red Bull.
Qualifying: Verstappen on pole, McLaren lying in wait
From qualifying, the tone was set. With a supersonic time of 1:26.983, Verstappen secured pole position, relegating the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri by more than a tenth. Nevertheless, the British team confirmed their sparkling form at the start of this season. The Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, as well as the Mercedes of George Russell and Italian prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli, completed the top 8, promising an exciting race.
But the surprise came from French rookie Isack Hadjar. In only his third F1 race, the Racing Bulls driver secured a magnificent 7th place. Quite an achievement considering the difficulty of mastering Suzuka, with its fast curves and famous first sector “S”. Remind you of someone? A certain Charles Leclerc, who was also impressive from his early days in the premier category…
Race: Unstoppable Verstappen, Hadjar in the points
On Sunday, under radiant sunshine, the lights went out and the show began. Despite pressure from the McLarens in the opening laps, Verstappen held firm, gradually building a gap. His perfectly tuned Red Bull seemed literally glued to the track in Suzuka’s fast corners. Behind him, Norris and Piastri secured another double podium for McLaren. Enough to strengthen their position as leaders in the constructors’ championship.
But the hero of the day on the French side was Isack Hadjar. After a rocket start, the young Norman resisted pressure from much more experienced drivers to finish 9th and score his first points in F1. A performance that brought the crowd to its feet and speaks volumes about the potential of this young driving prince. We can’t wait to see what he has in store for us next!
Disappointment for Tsunoda, Ferrari-Mercedes duel
Of course, there were disappointments. Starting with Yuki Tsunoda, the local hero. Highly anticipated by his home crowd, the Japanese driver completely missed his qualifying, failing to advance from the back of the grid. Despite a good comeback in the race, he finished far from the points. Frustrating, especially when your teammate wins in front of your home crowd…
In the Ferrari camp, Charles Leclerc did his job with a solid 4th place. But he was probably hoping for better to revive his season. As for Lewis Hamilton, he seemed short on pace, managing no better than 7th. A disappointing result for the seven-time world champion, who sees the Mercedes cars of Russell and Antonelli ahead of him. The battle between the German team and Ferrari looks set to be tight this season!
Verstappen reignites the championship
With this victory, Max Verstappen reignites his title campaign. Certainly, Lando Norris maintains the lead in the drivers’ championship with 44 points. But the Dutchman, now 2nd with 36 points, has sent a clear message: he will be a force to reckon with this season! This adds even more spice to this exciting start of the championship.
Next meeting in two weeks in China. On Shanghai’s twisty circuit, Verstappen will try to confirm his retur
