Suzuka, Japan: Meanwhile, his teammate Sergio Pérez faced a challenging day on the track, ultimately retiring from the race.
Max Verstappen’s journey to victory began at the front of the grid, as he started from pole position. From the moment the lights went out, Verstappen seized the lead and demonstrated his command of the race. As the championship leader, Verstappen executed a flawless performance, steadily pulling away from the chasing pack. He eventually crossed the finish line with a remarkable 19.3-second lead over his closest rival, McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Verstappen’s triumphant radio message captured the moment: “Unbelieva-bull guys, you deserve that. What an unbelievable season we are having. You can all be very proud, here at the track and back at the factory. You have built a rocket ship of a car, well done!”
In the pit lane, Christian Horner, Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, echoed Verstappen’s sentiments. He attributed their outstanding year to the collective effort of all involved, including the dedicated men and women at the factory in Milton Keynes. Horner acknowledged the invaluable contributions Red Bull’s partners, emphasizing the tremendous effort that led to results like those witnessed in Japan.
Verstappen’s race began with a stellar start from pole position. He faced pressure from Oscar Piastri but successfully defended his lead as they approached Turn 1. Lando Norris seized the opportunity to claim second place, overtaking his teammate Piastri.
Further down the grid, Sergio Pérez, starting from fifth, encountered fierce competition. He found himself squeezed to the left by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz as they approached Turn 1. Pérez briefly made contact with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and dropped to seventh place. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso made a remarkable climb from 10th to sixth place.
A dramatic incident unfolded further back in the field when Zhou Guanyu of Alfa Romeo collided with Alex Albon of Williams, resulting in substantial debris on the track and the deployment of the Safety Car. During this period, Pérez pitted for a new nose cone, rejoining the race in 18th position. However, a misstep in rejoining behind the Safety Car resulted in a five-second time penalty for Pérez.
When the Safety Car left the track at the end of lap four, Verstappen controlled the restart effectively, maintaining his lead ahead of Norris and Piastri. Charles Leclerc secured fourth place, with Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso close behind.
Sergio Pérez demonstrated resilience as he steadily moved up the grid, reaching 12th place behind Kevin Magnussen’s Haas. However, on lap 13, Pérez’s race took a downturn. An attempt to pass Magnussen at the hairpin resulted in a lock-up and a collision with the Haas driver.
Pérez returned to the pits to serve his time penalty and replace another damaged nose cone in an 18.2-second pit stop. Although he briefly rejoined the race, Pérez reported that his car “did not feel right” and subsequently returned to the pit lane and the garage.
Max Verstappen’s commanding victory at the Japanese Grand Prix solidified his position as the championship leader. With 400 points to his name, he was just 54 points behind his record-setting 2022 total. Red Bull Racing’s triumph in the Constructors’ World Championship further emphasized their dominant position, with a 177-point lead over Pérez.
With a maximum of 180 points available in the remaining six rounds, their championship aspirations looked bright as they set their sights on the upcoming race in Qatar.
The Japanese Grand Prix witnessed Max Verstappen’s exceptional performance as he secured his 13th win of the 2023 season and propelled Red Bull Racing to its sixth Formula 1 World Constructors’ Championship title.
Max Verstappen said, “It’s been a massive Team effort, there are a lot of people involved in getting us to where we are today. You only really see very few people here at track, there are lots of people working tirelessly at the factory to make sure we are always performing at our highest.
“What we are showing this year is pure dominance, we can all be extremely proud. It was an amazing feeling to see the Team celebrating in the garage on the track TVs during my in-lap. We’re definitely enjoying it but we won’t take anything for granted.”
Sergio Pérez said, “It would have been nice to clinch the Championship in a different way but it has been an incredible year and I am so happy for the Team today. My race ended up not being straightforward at all.
“Despite this, it has been a really great day for the whole team and to finally get that title is really special. I am proud of each and every single one of the team; they have done a really tremendous job.
Following the race, Christian Horner said, “”Only a Red Bull driver can win it now so there will be more celebrations to come in what can only be described as a monumental season in the team’s history! I have been saying it all year, but really, this kind of season would be impossible without the hard work that goes on behind the scenes from all the different departments both back at Milton Keynes and here at track.
“From the crazy hours that they work through to the relentless pursuit for better, it is a true Team effort and one to be immensely proud of. So that is 6 for us and an amazing moment for the Team. We will take tonight to celebrate and regroup tomorrow as we look towards Qatar and a possible driver Championship.”