Oracle Red Bull Racing got back to regular service after a rare podium-less race in Australia two weeks ago. Max and Checo sealed a dominant 1-2 finish on Sunday afternoon in Suzuka after a chaotic start which almost immediately brought out the Safety Car.
Oracle Red Bull Racing’s third 1-2 of the season got off to a thrilling start with the top of the starting grid maintaining their positions off the line. However, it was at Turn 3 on the first lap that Visa Cash App RB’s Daniel Ricciardo and Williams’ Alex Albon came together.
Wary of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll on his left, Ricciardo drifted to the right as he prepared to turn in. He failed to see Alex Albon coming up on the outside and the Williams driver’s front wing clipped the rear of the Visa Cash App RB, and the pair were sent spinning into the barriers. Both drivers were unhurt but with the tyre barriers requiring substantial repairs, the red flags came out and the race was halted.
After a 30-minute stoppage, the cars left the pit lane for a standing start. Max and Checo remained at the front of the grid as the race got back under way. Oracle Red Bull Racing charged off the line and within a lap were outside the 1-second DRS range as McLaren’s Lando Norris came under threat from the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz.
Medium-tyre runners began to struggle earlier than usual as Suzuka poses particularly high tyre degradation. By lap 12, those at the front on Medium tyres began to dive into the pit. Norris was the first of the leaders to pit, switching to Hard tyres and dropping to P10. Several other drivers joined him, however, out in front Oracle Red Bull Racing powered on. Max now led Checo by five seconds, with the Mexican another four clear of Sainz.
Checo came into the pit lane at the end of lap 15 taking another set of Medium tyres. He dropped to P6, ahead of Sainz who chose the same moment to pit. The Mexican found himself almost three seconds behind Norris who worked a powerful undercut.
Max made his stop on lap 17 and after switching to Mediums, he rejoined in P2, behind Charles Leclerc who was still on the Medium tyres he started the race with. The World Champion was soon onto the Ferrari driver, and at the start of lap 21 he breezed past to regain the lead.
Behind him, Checo was chasing down Norris and on lap 22 he closed in and managed to snatch P3. With Leclerc ahead of aging tyres, Checo began to put pressure on the Ferrari driver. By lap 26, it paid off. Leclerc went wide in Turn 9 and the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver was able to muscle his way past.
Checo made his final pit stop at the end of lap 33, switching to Hard tyres in a quick 2.1s stop. He rejoined in 5th, just half a second behind Norris who had already made his final stop. However, the Mexican was unfazed – at the start of lap 35 he powered past the McLaren on the approach to Turn 1.
Meanwhile, Max had made his final visit to the pit lane, and after taking on a set of Hard tyres he emerged in P2, behind Sainz who was beginning to struggle on his medium tyres. The Spaniard gave up the fight at the end of lap 36 and when he switched to a final set of Hard tyres, Max swept past to retake the lead. Behind him, Checo easily picked off the one-stopping Leclerc to move back to P2, a little over seven seconds behind his team-mate.
With 10 laps left, Oracle Red Bull Racing were fully in control. Both seemed hit cruise control and began build gaps to the trailing pack. Max came home to claim his third win of the season with Checo taking P2 12 seconds later.
Sergio Pérez said, “It was a good race for the team, another one-two, we’re keeping the momentum and that’s important for us to keep it going. It’s a really nice comeback from Melbourne.”
“It was very, very nice,” said Max Verstappen afterwards. “The critical bit was, of course, the start, to stay ahead, and after that the car just got better and better for me throughout the race. I don’t know if it had to do maybe with the clouds coming in, but yeah, very nice. Everything just went really well. Pit stops went well. Strategy worked out well. Couldn’t have been any better!”
Up next, Oracle Red Bull Racing travel to Shanghai for the first Chinese Grand Prix since 2019. The race will take place on 21 April.