Introduction
Max Verstappen bounced again from his retirement in Australia with a commanding drive to victory through the 2024 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, taking the chequered flag forward of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.
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Verstappen led the way in which from begin to end, because the climate situations have been hotter than anticipated. Quite a lot of tyre methods and a first-lap accident involving RB’s Daniel Ricciardo and the Williams of Alex Albon all contributed to the proceedings.
It meant a 3rd successive pole-to-victory conversion for the Dutchman at Suzuka whereas additionally marking a 3rd win from 4 races in 2024, boosting his lead within the drivers’ championship after being dented by a brake-related retirement final outing at Albert Park.
Fresh from an improved qualifying show that noticed him end simply over half a tenth away from pole, Perez backed up Verstappen to provide Red Bull one other one-two end after their excellent ends in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to kick off the season.
Australian Grand Prix winner Sainz was the final of the front-runners to make their ultimate pit cease. He benefitted from more energizing rubber to clear McLaren’s Lando Norris and teammate Charles Leclerc within the closing laps, the latter having accomplished one cease fewer on an alternate technique.
Leclerc saved Norris at bay in fourth and fifth locations, respectively, whereas Fernando Alonso continued to steer Aston Martin’s cost en path to sixth, ending simply in entrance of the squabbling Mercedes and McLaren machines of George Russell and Oscar Piastri.
Piastri, on ageing arduous tyres, and Russell, on newer medium tyres, had come near colliding in the direction of the top of the race after they went wheel-to-wheel on the ultimate chicane, with the stewards wanting into the incident after the Australian argued he was compelled off the observe.
Lewis Hamilton mirrored Russell’s technique en path to ninth, having questioned Mercedes’ strategy earlier within the race, with dwelling hero Yuki Tsunoda taking the ultimate level on supply for himself and RB as he battled his method to tenth by way of a sequence of high quality overtakes.
Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg was considered one of Tsunoda’s victims in eleventh, whereas Lance Stroll was one other to make some eye-catching passes – primarily via the Esses – however in the end went with out reward in P12, commenting over the radio that Aston Martin’s lack of straight-line pace made it really feel like they have been in a “different category”.
Kevin Magnussen took thirteenth within the different Haas in entrance of Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas and the Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, who survived contact when the motion resumed following Ricciardo and Albon’s coming collectively on the authentic race begin.
Logan Sargeant tripped via the gravel within the closing moments of the race, however the Williams man reversed out and continued on his method to P17 and final, avoiding the identical destiny because the aforementioned Ricciardo and Albon and the opposite Kick Sauber of Zhou Guanyu, who retired early on amid obvious technical hassle.
After 4 drama-filled rounds, the F1 paddock will head to China with Verstappen main the drivers’ standings on 77 factors, adopted by teammate Perez on 64 and Leclerc on 59. In the constructors’ battle, Red Bull (141 factors) holds the benefit over Ferrari (120).
Mario Isola, Motorsport Director, Pirelli:
I feel as soon as once more as we speak Formula 1 proved to be a really spectacular type of racing. On one of the demanding tracks for drivers and automobiles, we witnessed a race with loads of overtaking, the place varied methods have been introduced into play, thanks partly to all three of the compounds we selected for this spherical being as much as the job in hand. This allowed drivers to select from completely different choices, each when it comes to switching compounds and in when to make the pit stops.
While it’s true that, as soon as once more, Red Bull and Max Verstappen had the sting, which allowed them to safe the win with relative ease, behind them, there have been some nice battles, not simply on the observe but additionally between the groups on the pit wall.
Today was the most popular day of the weekend, with a observe temperature at the beginning of 40 °C which then dropped to 32 °C so thermal degradation was important, and those that did the perfect job of managing it have been in a position to make up varied locations from the place they began: right here I’m pondering mainly of Leclerc who drove an distinctive race on this respect as a result of his one and solely cease noticed him go from eighth to fourth. The undercut proved to be very efficient, however it’s a undeniable fact that those that stopped too early have been then at an obstacle within the closing phases of every stint. All these variables created efficiency variations that facilitated overtaking, which was nice for the spectators. Indeed, the followers that packed out Suzuka all weekend lengthy actually added to the present, and it was nice to see them in a position to have a good time a tenth-place end for native hero Yuki Tsunoda.
The day on the observe:
For a begin, there was a reasonably even cut up between the 20 drivers when it comes to those that opted for the Medium (all within the high ten besides Alonso, plus Ricciardo, Tsunoda and Zhou) and those that went with the Soft. However, the pink flag on the opening lap meant that seven drivers – the Mercedes and Alpine pairs, Sargeant, Tsunoda and Zhou – all took the chance to modify compounds. The Mercedes duo went from Medium to Hard, each Alpines and Sargeant within the Williams went from Soft to Medium, and Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) and Zhou (Sauber) went from Medium to Soft.
The restart meant the race was successfully shortened by two laps, with the unique opening lap and the one to the grid for the second begin nonetheless legitimate. Teams thus went for varied strategic choices each when it comes to the variety of pit stops and of their use of the out there compounds. The most used was the C1 (545 laps, 60%), with the C2 subsequent (281 laps, 31%) with little distinction when it comes to degradation. While the Hard and Medium have been the preferred, the Soft (81 laps accomplished, 9% of the overall) additionally had a job to play, both at the beginning or within the closing phases, regardless of demonstrating important degradation.
What’s subsequent?
The fifth spherical of the World Championship takes place in Shanghai from 19 to 21 April, with Formula 1 returning after a five-year break, 20 years after it first appeared on the calendar again in 2004. Shanghai hosts the primary Grand Prix of the 12 months to run within the new Sprint format (free follow and Sprint qualifying on Friday, Sprint Race and qualifying on Saturday, and the precise Grand Prix on Sunday). Pirelli has chosen three compounds from the center of the vary: C2 as Hard, C3 as Medium and C4 as Soft.
There is yet one more job earlier than Shanghai. This coming Tuesday and Wednesday, Suzuka hosts the third Pirelli check session of the season, aimed toward growing compounds and constructions for 2025. Sauber, operating Valtteri Bottas on each days and Racing Bulls, operating Daniel Ricciardo on the primary day and Yuki Tsunoda on the second, will assist the game’s sole tyre provider on this delicate and essential job.
2024 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Country | Team | Time | Points | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 1 | Max Verstappen | Netherlands | Red Bull Racing | 1:54:23.566 | 26 | 77 |
| 2. | 11 | Sergio Perez | Mexico | Red Bull Racing | +12.535s | 18 | 64 |
| 3. | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Spain | Scuderia Ferrari | +20.866s | 15 | 55 |
| 4. | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Monaco | Scuderia Ferrari | +26.522s | 12 | 59 |
| 5. | 4 | Lando Norris | Great Britain | Mclaren Racing | +29.700s | 10 | 37 |
| 6. | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Spain | Aston Martin F1 Team | +44.272s | 8 | 24 |
| 7. | 63 | George Russell | Great Britain | Mercedes-AMG Petronas | +45.951s | 6 | 24 |
| 8. | 81 | Oscar Piastri | Australia | McLaren Racing | +47.525s | 4 | 32 |
| 9. | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Great Britain | Mercedes-AMG Petronas | +48.626s | 2 | 10 |
| 10. | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Japan | Visa Cash App F1 Team | +1 lap | 1 | 7 |
| 11. | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Germany | Haas F1 Team | +1 lap | 0 | 3 |
| 12. | 18 | Lance Stroll | Canada | Aston Martin F1 Team | +1 lap | 0 | 9 |
| 13. | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Denmark | Haas F1 Team | +1 lap | 0 | 1 |
| 14. | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Finland | Kick Sauber F1 Team | +1 lap | 0 | 0 |
| 15. | 31 | Esteban Ocon | France | Alpine F1 Team | +1 lap | 0 | 0 |
| 16. | 10 | Pierre Gasly | France | Alpine F1 Team | +1 lap | 0 | 0 |
| 17. | 2 | Logan Sargeant | USA | Williams Racing | +1 lap | 0 | 0 |
| 18. | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | China | Kick Sauber F1 Team | DNF | 0 | 0 |
| 11. | 45 | Alexander Albon | Thailand | Williams Racing | DNF | 0 | 0 |
| 12. | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Australia | Visa Cash App F1 Team | DNF | 0 | 0 |
2024 Constructor Standings
| Pos | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Red Bull Racing | 141 |
| 2. | Scuderia Ferrari | 120 |
| 3. | McLaren Racing | 69 |
| 4. | Mercedes-AMG Petronas | 34 |
| 5. | Aston Martin F1 Team | 33 |
| 6. | Visa Cash App F1 Team | 7 |
| 7. | Haas F1 Team | 4 |
| 8. | Kick Sauber F1 Team | 0 |
| 9. | Williams Racing | 0 |
| 10. | Alpine F1 Team | 0 |
Here are the team-by-team highlights:
