Partly cloudy. Dry. Air +22…20С, highway +40…33С
How interesting it is this year that the balance of power behind the leaders changes with every race. Teams prepare new products, tire manufacturers introduce different compounds, and the weather adds extra intrigue. Someone takes a step forward, someone unexpectedly rolls back. The only thing that remains unchanged is Max Verstappen’s dominance at the wheel of Red Bull Racing.
In 2024, Formula 1 came to Japan for the first time in mid-spring, on Friday and Saturday it was cool and cloudy, but Max again led all sessions except the second training, in which he did not go due to rain. On Sunday, under a cloudless sky, the asphalt temperature rose to 40 degrees, meaning the teams had to act according to the situation when choosing a strategy.
What was equally consistent was the interest from the incredible Japanese fans who filled the stands on Friday.
Verstappen won qualifying and took his 36th pole of his career and fourth of the season. The Red Bull Racing drivers occupied the entire front row of the starting field, Norris and Sainz started from second, Alonso and Piastri started from third.
Pirelli traditionally released the hardest tire compounds – C1, C2 and C3 in Hard, Medium and Soft roles. At the start, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Bottas, Albon, Ocon, Stroll, Gasly and Sagent opted for Soft, the rest started the race in Medium.
Verstappen retained his lead at the start. The top nine retained their positions. Tsunoda lost two places.
Ricciardo and Albon made contact and went into the tire barrier at turn three. The race was stopped with red flags. The stewards decided not to punish anyone.
Top ten under red flags: Verstappen – Perez – Norris – Sainz – Alonso – Piastri – Hamilton – Leclerc – Russell – Hulkenberg.
The break to evacuate cars and repair the barrier lasted 28 minutes. Many people have changed their tires. Hamilton, Russell, Ocon, Gasly and Sargent went to Hard. Alonso, Hulkenberg, Bottas, Tsunoda, Stroll and Zhou left for Soft, the rest continued the race on Medium.
The standing start was announced again. Verstappen retained his lead at the start. Gasly and Leclerc made contact. Leclerc for Hamilton. Russell locked his tires while braking. Hulkenberg dropped to 16th place.
Top ten in round 3: Verstappen – Perez – Norris – Sainz – Alonso – Piastri – Leclerc – Hamilton – Tsunoda – Russell.
On lap 5, Russell passed Tsunoda for ninth place. On lap 6, Hulkenberg drove into the pits to change tires. Stroll overtook Ocon in the first corner.
On the 7th lap Bottas made a pit stop, on the 8th – Tsunoda and Zhou. Magnussen overtook Gasly for 12th place.
On lap 11, Sargent passed Gasly for 13th place.
On the 12th lap, Norris and Zhou changed tires, on the 13th – Piastri and Stroll.
Hamilton asked the team if he should let Russell pass – and conceded the position. Zhou put the car in the pits and retired due to gearbox problems.
On lap 15, Sargent passed Ocon and moved up to 11th.
On lap 16 Perez and Sainz made a pit stop. Bottas overtook Ocon.
On lap 17, Verstappen and Gasly switched tires. Norris defeated Hamilton. Tsunoda and Stroll passed Okon. Pérez-Hamilton.
On lap 18, Norris passed Russell in the first corner. Bottas Sergeant. On the 19th lap Perez was ahead of Russell, Sainz ahead of Hamilton.
The Mercedes drivers’ hard tires quickly lost their effectiveness, but the team was in no hurry to change strategy, despite Hamilton’s request.
On the 20th lap, Ocon made a pit stop. Verstappen got ahead of Leclerc and regained the lead lost due to a pit stop.
On lap 21 Sainz took the lead from Russell. On lap 22, Alonso overtook Hamilton.
On lap 23 Russell, Magnussen, Bottas, Sargent, Stroll and Tsunoda changed tires. In the 24th lap Hamilton.
On lap 25, Bottas overtook Ocon for 14th.
Perez put pressure on Leclerc, who had not been in the pits, in the battle for second place; Charles flew off the track, but was able to return.
On lap 27 Leclerc and Norris switched tires.
On lap 28, Norris passed Russell on the outside of Turn 1 for seventh place.
Top ten in round 30: Verstappen – Perez – Sainz – Alonso – Piastri – Leclerc – Norris – Russell – Hamilton – Hulkenberg.
On the 33rd lap, Piastri made a pit stop, on the 34th – Perez and Alonso. Tsunoda and Stroll were ahead of Hulkenberg and Nico turned into the pits.
On lap 35 Verstappen, Ocon, Stroll and Sargent changed tires.
On lap 36 Perez overtook Leclerc for third place.
On the 37th lap Sainz made a pit stop, on the 38th – Russell. Sainz for Hamilton. On the 40th lap, Lewis changed the tires – there was a problem with the mounting of the right front wheel.
Top ten in lap 40: Verstappen – Perez – Leclerc – Norris – Sainz – Alonso – Piastri – Russell – Hamilton – Tsunoda.
On lap 42, Sargent spun into the gravel at turn nine, but returned to the track and made it to the pits, where he changed tires.
On lap 44 Sainz passed Norris for fourth place.
On lap 46, Sainz was ahead of Leclerc in the battle for third place – and on newer tires he was able to pull away straight away.
On lap 49 Hulkenberg took the lead from Magnussen.
Top ten in lap 50: Verstappen – Perez – Sainz – Leclerc – Norris – Alonso – Piastri – Russell – Hamilton – Tsunoda.
On the 50th lap, Russell Piastri attacked in the battle for seventh place, but Oscar was able to fight back first, after which George pushed his opponent off the track – and the positions were retained.
On lap 53, Russell took the lead from Piastri and Hulkenberg took the lead from Stroll.
Max Verstappen won the Japanese Grand Prix for the third year in a row, achieving his 57th career victory and third this season.
Sergio Perez finished second, his 38th time on the podium. Red Bull Racing achieved its 31st victory double in history.
Carlos Sainz took the third step of the podium.
In two weeks the battle will continue in China, where the first stage of the season awaits us with the Saturday sprint.
Race results
| Pilot | Team | Time | Speed | Pete |
| 1. M. Verstappen | Red Bull | – | 161,271 | 3 |
| 2. C. Perez | Red Bull | +12.535 | 160,977 | 3 |
| 3. K. Sainz | Ferrari | +20,866 | 160,782 | 3 |
| 4. S. Leclerc | Ferrari | +26.522 | 160,650 | 2 |
| 5. L.Norris | McLaren | +29,700 | 160,576 | 3 |
| 6. F. Alonso | Aston Martin | +44.272 | 160,237 | 3 |
| 7. D. Russell | Mercedes | +45.951 | 160,198 | 3 |
| 8. O. Piastri | McLaren | +47.525 | 160,162 | 3 |
| 9. L.Hamilton | Mercedes | +48.626 | 160,136 | 3 |
| 10. Yu.Tsunoda | RB | +1 round | 158,188 | 3 |
| 11. N. Hulkenberg | Hare | +1 round | 158,060 | 3 |
| 12. L. Walk | Aston Martin | +1 round | 157,966 | 4 |
| 13. K. Magnussen | Hare | +1 round | 157,813 | 2 |
| 14. V. Bottas | Sauber | +1 round | 157,791 | 3 |
| 15. E.Okon | Alps | +1 round | 157,282 | 3 |
| 16. P. Gasly | Alps | +1 round | 156,966 | 3 |
| 17. L. Sargent | Williams | +1 round | 156,565 | 4 |
Best round: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) – 1:33.706 (50 laps, 223.093 km/h)
Reasons for the meetings
| Pilot | Team | Kroogov | Cause |
| D. Riccardo | RB | 0 | accident |
| A. Elbon | Williams | 0 | accident |
| G.Zhou | Sauber | 12 | Transfer |
Championship Position: Individual Competition
Championship position: Constructors’ Championship
| Team | Engine | Glasses | |
| = | 1. Oracle Red Bull Racing | Honda RBPT | 141 |
| = | 2. Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | 120 |
| = | 3. McLaren F1 Team | Mercedes | 69 |
| = | 4. Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team | Mercedes | 34 |
| = | 5. Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team | Mercedes | 33 |
| = | 6. Visa Cash App RB F1 Team | Honda RBPT | 7 |
| = | 7. MoneyGram Haas F1 Team | Ferrari | 4 |
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
