Max Verstappen can secure the world title in Suzuka on Sunday (7 a.m. live on Servus TV). With a 104-point lead over Charles Leclerc with five remaining Formula 1 races, a victory including the fastest race lap would definitely be enough for the Dutchman. There are other scenarios for a successful title defense, they all have in common: Verstappen scores at least eight points more than Leclerc in the Japanese race and ten more than teammate Sergio Perez, who is 106 points behind and also still has a chance of winning the world championship.
Appropriately, the Red Bull cars made a better impression than the Ferraris in the Friday practice sessions. Verstappen (3rd) only had to admit defeat to the Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in less meaningful wet conditions, while Leclerc did not get past eleventh place. The slippery conditions were Mick Schumacher’s undoing, who escaped uninjured when he hit a wall hard.
Porsche’s interest in Formula 1 is likely to have cooled off. According to “RTL” and “Spiegel”, the VW subsidiary, which has been negotiating with Red Bull for a long time about entry from 2026, is said to have refrained from becoming involved.
Source: Nachrichten
