Formula 1: Verstappen “absolutely outstanding” – McLaren too careful?

Max Verstappen cost his record trip to Suzuka with a jump into the arms of his crew. The Red Bull Pilot won the Japan Formula 1 race for the fourth time and also remained cool with the unruly Lando Norris output of the pit lane, which drove the World Cup leader for switching on the green strip even in a bike-AR-Rad duel.

The insatiable world champion, who moved to the McLaren driver in the classification, did not stay with celebrations for long. “There is still a lot of work ahead of us,” announced Verstappen after his 64th career victory. “If we want to fight for the World Cup, we need more.”

“Max is undisputedly the best driver in the world”

Such statements are a warning to the competition. Such a setting is a champion. “He is Mr. Bull team boss Christian Horner praised his star pilot, who had completely changed the coordination of his car over the weekend-and was in the right place for us. “Max was absolutely outstanding, Max is undisputedly the best driver in the world.”

Four victories in Suzuka in a row did not even make a record champion Michael Schumacher. “What a great turn after a difficult start. We never give up, we continue together,” said Verstappen, who annoyed Norris in second place.

Piatri is not allowed to go past Norris

McLaren was close. But not close enough. Maybe Oscar Piatri could have intercept the Dutch. But on his 24th birthday in the final phase of the race, the Australian did not get a green light from the command stand, in order to take the hunt for Verstappen past Norris. “I felt that if I had the position, I still had Max still got,” said Piatri.

His boss saw it differently. “You need about eight tenths of a second to attack the car. As soon as you are within a second, you have dirty air and the performance takes off,” McLaren team boss Andrea Stella calculated. “I think it was not possible today to overtake.”

Hülkenberg is stuck in traffic

Piatri is now missing 13 points on Norris in the classification, on Verstappen there are twelve. “No mistake, absolutely on the limit-only he can,” said Red Bull Motor Sports Advisor Helmut Marko at the TV broadcaster Sky about Ver Verstappen. “McLaren is actually the faster car, but it controls the distance. Masterless.”

The only German driver in the field, Nico Hülkenberg, raced clearly past the points as 16 in the kick. “I spent the whole race in traffic,” he said. “That made my life difficult.”

Verstappen ends its pole thirst

Verstappen had to wait 280 days in his 41st pole position. Since the Grand Prix of Austria at the end of June last year, he has not led the starting line -up. His racing engineer Gianpiero Lambiase described the masterpiece in qualifying as “crazy” when Verstappen had put a magic round on the last presser.

He also confidently defended his fourth pole in Japan in a row. Before the eyes of the Japanese Princess Akiko of Mikasa and 115,000 fans on the Suzuka Circuit, Norris remained second and Piatri as third on the four -time world champion, who also knows how to conceal the weaknesses of his stubborn Red Bull this season.

After a third of the race, McLaren tried to finish. On the announcement, Norris supposedly came in at the pit stop, but Red Bull did not fall in. There was finally the right tension in the 22nd round when Verstappen and Norris also stopped changing the tire at the same time.

The Red Bull star made a slower stop, and then rivals almost turned with him from the pit lane. It got tight at the exit. The Englishman had to dodge on the lawn to avoid a crash. “He pushed me off,” complained Norris about radio. “He drove to the grass by itself,” said Verstappen unmoved.

Antonelli writes Formula 1 story

The rule keepers then did not recognize any violation. “Max is the last thing I expect from getting space, but in a good way, a racing driver type,” Norris later said about the duel.

Verstappen came back to fifth, Norris right behind him as the sixth. And who led? Mercedes newcomer Kimi Antonelli! At just 18 years and 224 days. No other driver in this position was the younger in Formula 1 history. “The next goal is to do this in the only round that matters: in the last round,” he announced.

Antonelli finished sixth in the end and is now the youngest pilot who was doing the fastest round. So far, Verstappen had kept this record at the age of 19 and 44 days.

Piatri pushes and urges

When Antonelli headed to the box in the 32nd round, the old order was restored. Verstappen took the lead again in front of the two McLaren with a lead of around 1.5 seconds. Norris had to defend himself more and more violently against Piatri, who finally wanted to be let past. “I have the speed to grab Max,” the China winner announced. But there was no go from his box.

The McLaren-internal duel could not matter. He raced undeterred to his first win of the season. “We are far from giving up the World Cup,” said Marko.