Max Verstappen wins red-flagged race

Verstappen beat team-mate Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, in a race that was purple flagged following a gap lap crash between RB’s Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon of Williams.

2024 F1 Japanese Grand Prix outcomes

2024 F1 Japanese Grand Prix report

Polesitter Verstappen led the cost to Flip 1, forward of Perez, Lando Norris (McLaren), Sainz and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin).

Additional again, Ricciardo and Albon touched wheels on the method to Flip 2 and each vehicles slammed into the tyrewall, inflicting a purple flag. “He simply squeezed me, nowhere to go,” rued Albon on the radio.

After a prolonged delay for barrier repairs, groups had been in a position to change tyres within the pits with the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell switching to the laborious compound, whereas fifth positioned Fernando Alonso remained on his alternative of softs.

Verstappen once more led away from the 18-car standing restart, main Perez, Norris, Sainz and Alonso as soon as extra. The Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon touched on the run to Flip 1, whereas Russell misplaced a spot to Yuki Tsunoda’s RB when he locked up and ran extensive, however he was in a position to regain the spot a lap later.

Verstappen’s main margin was aided when the chasing Perez ran extensive at Degner 2 on lap six.

Norris was the primary of the frontrunners to pit, giving up third place on lap 12, whereas McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri stopped from fifth a lap later. Alonso, who rose to fourth, removed his softs on lap 14.

The Mercedes duo swapped locations on lap 14, with Hamilton permitting the sooner Russell forward.

Verstappen was over 5s away from Perez when the latter pitted on lap 16, and he was adopted in by third positioned Sainz.

Verstappen went to lap 17 earlier than making his cease, rejoining simply forward of early stopper Norris, who handed the yet-to-pit Hamilton across the outdoors of Flip 1, whereas Perez – who’d misplaced his runner-up spot to Norris – braved it down the within of Hamilton at 130R.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc ran very lengthy to guide for a few laps, till Verstappen caught at handed him in the beginning of lap 21 to regain his high spot. Sainz then misplaced time passing the Mercedes duo, dropping 7s behind Perez.

Second positioned Leclerc, who was hanging on with well-worn medium tyres, briefly went off at Degner 2 simply earlier than half distance, permitting Perez again into second – however Sergio was already over 10s behind Verstappen.

Leclerc pitted for the primary time on lap 27, the identical tour as Norris for his second cease, the pair break up by Russell as they rejoined. Norris zapped across the outdoors of Russell at Flip 1 a lap later.

Perez made his closing cease on lap 34, rejoining behind Norris, whereas Verstappen ran a lap longer earlier than doing likewise. Perez was in a position to chase down and DRS previous Norris on the run to Flip 1 on lap 35 and mirrored the transfer on Leclerc on the subsequent tour.

Australian GP winner Sainz now led however locked up and straightlined the chicane on his previous rubber, pitting a lap later and handing the lead again to Verstappen. This dropped Sainz all the best way again to seventh however with the freshest rubber of all of the frontrunners and he went on a cost.

Sainz shortly handed Hamilton, as Russell pitted forward of them, and chased down Norris – passing him for fourth with 9 laps remaining. He snatched third from one-stopping team-mate Leclerc a few laps later, DRS-ing previous on the run to Flip 1 for the ultimate spot on the rostrum.

Verstappen cruised to a different victory by 12s over Perez, with Sainz heading him Leclerc for an additional podium end. Norris completed fifth from a raging battle for sixth between Alonso, Piastri and Russell.

Piastri and Russell clashed on the chicane with 5 laps to go, however Piastri made an important error there forward of the final tour, which allowed Russell to grab seventh on the run to Flip 1.

Hamilton was ninth, whereas dwelling hero Tsunoda claimed the ultimate level.

2024 F1 Japanese Grand Prix quickest laps

2024 F1 Japanese Grand Prix laps led

2024 F1 Japanese Grand Prix tyre historical past