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It was a significant victory at the Japanese Grand Prix for Max Verstappen to eye his throne back as the lead Lando Norris had in the Formula 1 Drivers' Championship shrunk to a singular one point.
There were uncertainties regarding the pace of Red Bull and whether they could match the blistering Red McLarens, as the weekend was heading into the Suzuka Circuit. But Verstappen put all doubts to rest, achieving an enthralling pole on Saturday and then driving with calm domination and assuredness on Sunday.
Despite challenges from Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri, Verstappen held his nerve and controlled the race from there. The Dutchman temporarily lost the lead during pit stops but then regained control almost immediately on his way to taking a crucial victory across the line.
The Three-Way Tight Battle at the Top
Verstappen's victory put him just one point behind 62 points leader Norris. Piastri also looked strong all weekend and remains a contender with 49 points, making it a close three-way fight just three races into the 2025 season.
Until now, there have been three different winners in three rounds of the competition, which goes on to tell you how fiercely contested this year's championship is shaping up to be.
Triple Header Weekend in F1
Suzuka was the start of a busy time consisting of three races over three weekends. Next stop, the paddock heads for the Bahrain International Circuit, before wrapping up the triple-header event in Jeddah at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.
Updated 2025 F1 Drivers’ Standings (After Japanese GP)
1. Lando Norris – 62 points
2. Max Verstappen – 61 points
3. Oscar Piastri – 49 points
4. George Russell – 45 points
5. Kimi Antonelli – 30 points
6. Charles Leclerc – 20 points
7. Alex Albon – 18 points
8. Lewis Hamilton – 15 points
9. Esteban Ocon – 10 points
10. Lance Stroll – 10 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg – 6 points
12. Oliver Bearman – 5 points
13. Isack Hadjar – 4 points
14. Yuki Tsunoda – 3 points
15. Carlos Sainz – 1 point
16. Pierre Gasly – 0
17. Fernando Alonso – 0
18. Liam Lawson – 0
19. Jack Doohan – 0
20. Gabriel Bortoleto – 0
