Max Verstappen clinched his first Grand Prix of the campaign, holding off a late charge from the McLaren team-mates to win in Japan.

In a slow burner, the Dutchman won by just over a second after a pit exit clash with Lando Norris while McLaren will be fielding questions about strategy and a lack of team orders.

Max Verstappen holds off McLaren to win in Japan

After a wet and windy morning at Suzuka, the Formula 1 drivers headed to the grid on a drying track with Isack Hadjar reporting a “new problem, the seat is moving. I’m OK but the seat is not attached.” Lando Norris, second on the grid, also discovered a problem – the even numbers on the grid starting on the wetter and more slippery side of the track.

Pole-sitter Max Verstappen and Norris pointed their front-row cars toward each other, Verstappen making a great start to lead ahead of the McLaren driver, Oscar Piastri P3.

The top ten remained as it was on the grid throughout the opening lap, with Fernando Alonso the first driver on the move as he overtook Pierre Gasly to run 11th. Behind them, Yuki Tsunoda made a better start than Liam Lawson, the driver he replaced at Red Bull.

Despite putting a second between himself and Norris in the first three laps, Verstappen reported: “My upshifts are feeling really, really bad. The upshifts are worse in the first sector.”

Six laps in, Lewis Hamilton, having started on the hard Pirelli tyres, made the first overtake of those inside the top ten as the Ferrari driver swept past Hadjar for seventh.

F1 2025: The season’s winners and losers

👉 The results of the F1 2025 championship

👉 The updated Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings

With his upshift issues resolved, Verstappen put two seconds between himself and Norris, who was running a second ahead of Piastri with Charles Leclerc two off the podium. The Ferrari driver had George Russell on his rear wing.

As the pit stop window opened, Verstappen continued to lead while a Red Bull past-and-present DRS train of Pierre Gasly in 12th to Carlos Sainz in 15th kept McLaren from pitting. McLaren attempted to throw Red Bull off, telling Norris on lap 19 to “box to overtake Verstappen”, that followed by a “stay out”.

Ferrari told Leclerc they were struggling to find a gap in the train, but Mercedes threw the dice to pit Russell, who came out behind Tsunoda in the middle of the Red Bull mix. That sparked pit stops for the top four.

Norris’ stop was quicker than Verstappen’s, and they exited the pit lane at the same time with Norris putting wheels on the grass at the exit. “He forced me off,” claimed Norris. Verstappen: “He drove himself onto the grass.” The Red Bull driver added: “Also Norris pressed his pit limiter off too early, there’s no way that was legal.” McLaren informed Norris there would be “no further action on the pit exit”.

Kimi Antonelli, yet to pit, was the new race leader – a Formula 1 first for the Italian teenager.

On a mix of old and new tyres, medium and hards, the action heated up mix race with Verstappen overtaking Hamilton only for the Briton to pull into the pits, Hadjar passed Carlos Sainz, Gabriel Bortoleto and Oliver Bearman raced.

Antonelli handed the lead back to Verstappen on lap 32, the Dutchman leading ahead of Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Russell, Antonelli, Hamilton, Hadjar, Albon and Bearman. Top 10 as it was before the pit stops.

Engaging a game of cat-and-mouse with Verstappen putting an added tenth between himself and Norris only for the Briton to pull it back the next lap, Piastri hounded his team-mate. Verstappen was told about the McLaren driver communication, told to “keep your head down”. Norris put in his fastest lap of the race on lap 45, putting paid to suggestions of team orders at McLaren.

With five to go Verstappen was 1.1s ahead of Norris, who was 0.6s ahead of Piastri. They had dropped Leclerc by more than 10 seconds. Starting the penultimate lap, the gaps were 1.2 and 1.4s respectively. And heading into the final lap it was 1.5 and 1.

Verstappen won the Grand Prix, his and Red Bull’s first of the season, ahead of the McLaren team-mates with Leclerc in fourth. The Mercedes team-mates were next in line, Russell leading Antonelli across the line.

Hamilton, Hadjar, Albon and Bearman completed the points. Tsunoda was 12th on his Red Bull debut, the second RB21 yet to score a single point, while Lawson was 17th on his Racing Bulls return.

2025 Japanese GP Result

1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 2 Lando Norris McLaren +1.423 3 Oscar Piastri McLaren +2.129 4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +16.097 5 George Russell Mercedes +17.362 6 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +18.671 7 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +29.182 8 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +37.134 9 Alexander Albon Williams +40.367 10 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +54.529 11 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +57.333 12 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull Racing +58.401 13 Pierre Gasly Alpine +62.122 14 Carlos Sainz Williams +74.157 15 Jack Doohan Alpine +81.314 16 Nico Hulkenberg Kick Sauber +81.910 17 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +82.436 18 Esteban OconHaas F1 Team +83.241 19 Gabriel Bortoleto Kick Sauber +83.561

20 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +1 lap

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