Max Verstappen Wins in Japan: 5 key takeaways from Suzuka

Max Verstappen took home the win at the Formula 1 2025 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, capping off a weekend that gave fans plenty to talk about as the third race of the 2025 season wrapped up. The reigning champ showed he’s still the one to beat, starting from pole and grabbing the early points lead over McLaren’s Lando Norris with a performance that felt all too familiar. It was Verstappen’s fourth straight victory at Suzuka, and the day got even sweeter with Japan’s own Yuki Tsunoda making his Red Bull debut after getting the call-up just last week.

The 2025 Japanese Grand Prix brought the teams a mix of ups and downs while delivering a standout moment for the home favorites. McLaren walked away with a good points haul, though it felt like they left a win on the table. Yuki Tsunoda stepped up for his Red Bull debut, while Ferrari and Mercedes took a hard look at what’s holding them back for the next rounds. The Suzuka circuit proved once again why it’s a one-of-a-kind challenge, spotlighting the tight battles of the 2025 season over an intense weekend. Here are five key takeaways from the action.

Related: Formula 1 standings after Max Verstappen’s Japan GP win

Max Verstappen dominant in win, returns to top of driver standings

Max Verstappen delivered a commanding performance at the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, snatching his fourth consecutive win at the Suzuka Circuit. Starting from pole position, which he earned with an “inspirational” qualifying lap, according to his team principal, Christian Horner, Verstappen led the race from start to finish, despite a close moment with Lando Norris exiting the pits. Although Red Bull had a “slightly slow stop,” Verstappen managed to hold his line at the pit exit, forcing Norris onto the grass, keeping the lead.

“It was tough, (I was) just pushing very hard, especially on the last set [of tires],” Max Verstappen said after the race. “The two McLarens were pushing me very hard and it was a lot of fun out there. It’s not easy, of course, to manage the tires, but I’m incredibly happy. It started off quite tough this weekend but we didn’t give up, we kept improving the car and today it was in its best form. Of course, starting on pole really made it possible to win this race.”

Ultimately, Verstappen crossed the finish line 1.4 seconds ahead of Norris and McLaren. This victory marks Verstappen’s first win of the 2025 campaign and propelled him back into contention for the championship lead, placing him just one point behind Lando Norris in the driver standings.

McLaren shows they’ve got speed but can’t quite grab the win

McLaren proved they’re in the mix again, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri crossing the line in second and third at Suzuka, bagging 33 points and keeping their Constructors’ Championship lead intact. Starting right next to Verstappen on the front row, Norris gave it a go but admitted McLaren “just didn’t have enough” to take the top spot.

That pit exit moment? It was tight—Norris first thought he’d been squeezed off the track, but later shrugged it off.

“He was still ahead,” Norris said after the race. “It kind of squeezes into one and Max is the last guy I expect to give me any space, in a good way and in a racing way, so nothing more than that.”

While the double podium was a big win for McLaren, there’s a nagging feeling that they could’ve had more. Qualifying left both drivers kicking themselves for not squeezing out a little extra speed, handing Verstappen pole. McLaren could have, perhaps, mixed up their strategy to push Max Verstappen harder. Still, with Norris landing on the podium at every race this season, it’s clear McLaren’s got staying power.

Ferrari and Mercedes face up to their “work in progress”

Charles Leclerc crossed the line in fourth for Ferrari, but he didn’t sugarcoat it, calling it a “pretty dull race” as the McLarens were out of reach, leaving him to keep an eye on George Russell behind him.

“But I think there’s not much more performance in the car than what we are seeing now. We just need new parts and, if we have them soon enough, I’m sure that will at least be a solution to our problems.”

Over at Ferrari’s garage, Lewis Hamilton had a quiet day, finishing seventh after a “lonely race.” He started on hard tires and picked up a spot early, but that was it.

“My pace was maximum today. I didn’t have anything else in the car,” Hamilton said. “Underperformance happening at the rear of the car this weekend, and obviously, the qualifying position is key. I’m hoping the next race we will be closer. It will definitely be interesting for sure.”

Hamilton sees the current lineup as Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes, then Ferrari, and reckons Mercedes has “some ground to cover” too.

On a brighter note, Mercedes newbie Kimi Antonelli turned heads, landing sixth and snagging records as the youngest race leader and fastest lap setter ever. After feeling “pretty lost” earlier in the weekend, Antonelli’s gritty drive showed he’s already making strides.

Overtaking turns into a real headache, echoing Monaco vibes

Drivers weren’t shy about calling the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix boring, pointing out that passing at Suzuka felt a lot like the gridlock of Monaco. Williams’ Carlos Sainz, who rolled in at 14th, said that the starting position at Suzuka is “almost like Monaco now, with how tough it is to get by.”

The tight track, scarce runoff spots, and just one DRS zone on the main straight didn’t leave much room for big moves. Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto was caught off guard, saying even with a “four-tenths pace edge, overtaking was a struggle.” Nico Hülkenberg described his day as “long, dull, not much going on,” blaming the growing “dirty air effect” from these newer cars and a fresh track surface in spots that kept tire wear low.

Fernando Alonso nailed it, noting how everyone raves about Suzuka’s thrills on Saturday, only for Sunday’s race to fall flat with so little passing. The tires barely wearing down didn’t help either, leaving strategy options slim and the race feeling stuck in place.

Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull disappointing debut brings a bit of everything at home

Yuki Tsunoda kicked off his Red Bull journey at his home Japanese Grand Prix, crossing the line in 12th. Qualifying 15th and missing out on points doesn’t scream success, but there’s more to the story. Tsunoda said he got more than he expected out of the weekend, feeling a real boost in confidence over the 52 laps. He even got the better of Liam Lawson—the guy he took over from—early on.

That said, a wing setup geared for qualifying left him short on straight-line speed, making passing a headache. Red Bull’s Christian Horner saw the upside, noting Tsunoda’s already settling into the team and car” and predicting better days ahead. Tsunoda’s selection as the F1 Driver of the Day caused a stir and widespread criticism from fans, and it’s hard to blame them. Despite the banner day for Red Bull, no points for Tsunoda this time, but his pace was noticeably closer to Max Verstappen’s than Lawson’s ever was, hinting at some real potential.

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By Scott Gulbransen

Scott Gulbransen, a jack-of-all-trades in sports journalism, juggles his roles as an editor, NFL , MLB , Formula 1 ... More about Scott Gulbransen