Red Bull retained the name of the constructors’ championship thanks to their performance at Suzuka, it was Max Verstappen who took them to the finish.
Verstappen ensured the overall resumption of activity by dominating the Japanese Grand Prix, winning by 19 seconds from McLaren’s Lando Norris, while Sergio Perez, who retired from the race twice, was in a “shock”, as his team boss Christian Horner put it.
Then let us explain the main talking points of race day at Suzuka. . .
Red Bull proved that Singapore was just an incident when Verstappen embarked on a project at Suzuka, regaining the lead and leaving them behind.
Despite Perez’s lack of points, Verstappen’s top 26 points were enough for Red Bull to overtake Mercedes, confirming the name of the constructors’ championship for the sixth time in the team’s history.
“It’s been the ultimate race for us, the ultimate year,” Horner told Sky F1.
“It’s a testament to those guys and all the men and women at the Milton Keynes factory, Red Bull and all our partners; It’s a collection of everyone’s effort doing as productive as possible to achieve effects like we do. “Did.
“Of course, you know, Max is at another point right now. So today was a performance.
Read more: Max Verstappen and Christian Horner sensationally salute as Red Bull clinch constructors’ title
It was really a Japanese Grand Prix crisis for Perez. A contact at the start with Lewis Hamilton, who asked him for a new front wing, was followed by a car safety breach and the dismissal of Kevin Magnussen, which earned him two five-second consequences and four issues for his superlicence.
Perez, having been withdrawn from the race, was sacked so that Red Bull could serve that second penalty and prevent him from being moved to Qatar, before being withdrawn from the race again.
Lando Norris also left “screaming and cursing” as he lost 10 seconds to the sluggish Perez in virtual protection car conditions.
“I mean, today was a shocking race for him,” Horner told Sky Sports F1 after the race.
Read more: Christian Horner laments Sergio Perez’s ‘race shock’ at Suzuka
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Both drivers battled several times at the Japanese Grand Prix, and that is to say that neither gives an inch to the other.
Then, in the closing stages, Russell, looking to execute a one-stop strategy, needed a stern request from his team to cede the position to Hamilton, after suggesting he could simply pinch the DRS trick of Carlos Sainz and Hamilton defending, with Hamilton all over. on Russell’s rear wing and Sainz in turn harassing Hamilton.
Russell had previously wondered in the race if they were “fighting against each other”, while Hamilton has also shown symptoms of discomfort in those closing stages, so Mercedes will set the record directly now that the race is over.
“They were obviously racing hard in such a tricky car, pushing to the limit,” Mercedes communications chief Bradley Lord told Sky F1. “Obviously there was also radio traffic that reflected that.
“But I think over the years I’ve gotten into the habit of not reading too much what’s being said in the heat of the moment and in the tension of the cockpit, especially in a hot and not easy race like this.
“Whatever you want to keep to yourself or discuss later, we can get rid of this pressure cooker nicely and calmly in the report. “
Read more: Mercedes to ‘resolve’ radio dispute between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell
Mercedes is the only team with some motive strain to burn off after the race, and it looks like Alpine’s example is going to require a lot more work to correct.
Gasly pointed a middle finger from his cockpit, he didn’t know who, as he crossed the P10 line after team-mate Esteban Ocon passed him on the final lap. A communication breakdown was said to have occurred at Alpine.
You’re kidding, aren’t you? Gasly vented when asked to give the task to Ocon. Why do you say that? I went faster. I’m on cooler tyres. If you hadn’t overtaken me (sic), I still would have overtaken.
Read more: Radio messages reveal Pierre Gasly’s fury with Alpine after Esteban Ocon’s order
Norris’ only chance to lead the Japanese Grand Prix came early on, as an excellent release allowed him a brief glimpse of Verstappen at Turn 1, the race leader and eventual winner temporarily closing that door.
From there, Norris scored a solid P2, the fourth time he has achieved this result in F1 2023.
McLaren is the closest rival, but not fit for Red Bull and Verstappen, but if Norris at Red Bull, they say, could one day be, then former F1 driver Davidson believes Norris would lead the fight against Verstappen.
“I would love to see him in the other car at Red Bull, give that guy [Verstappen] a genuine fight, because he would,” Davidson told Sky F1.
Read more: ‘Lando Norris at the moment Red Bull would give Max Verstappen a fight’
Read next: Why Sergio Perez joined the Japanese GP after retiring 20 laps early