Formula 1 has declared Max Verstappen has clinched the world championship for a second time in confusing circumstances following today’s Japanese Grand Prix.
The driver cast doubt on claims he’d won the world championship after taking victory in today’s Japanese Grand Prix. The race only ran to 28 of the scheduled 53 laps – 52% of the scheduled distance.
F1 introduced new rules for 2022 which state reduced points will be awarded if less than 75% of the race distance is completed. However the FIA confirmed full points would be handed out for the race.
“The rules regarding the reduced points allocation (article 6.5) only apply in the event of race suspension that cannot be resumed,” an FIA spokesperson told RaceFans in a statement. “Therefore full points are awarded and Max Verstappen is world champion.”
Verstappen clinched the championship once it was confirmed his rival Charles Leclerc had been given a five-second time penalty for leaving the track on the final lap, which demoted him to third place.
List of Formula 1 drivers’ champions as of 2022
| Rank | Driver | Championships | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Schumacher | 7 | 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 |
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | 7 | 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 |
| 3 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 5 | 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957 |
| 4 | Alain Prost | 4 | 1985, 1986, 1989, 1993 |
| 4 | Sebastian Vettel | 4 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 |
| 6 | Jack Brabham | 3 | 1959, 1960, 1966 |
| 6 | Jackie Stewart | 3 | 1969, 1971, 1973 |
| 6 | Niki Lauda | 3 | 1975, 1977, 1984 |
| 6 | Nelson Piquet | 3 | 1981, 1983, 1987 |
| 6 | Ayrton Senna | 3 | 1988, 1990, 1991 |
| 11 | Alberto Ascari | 2 | 1952, 1953 |
| 11 | Jim Clark | 2 | 1963, 1965 |
| 11 | Graham Hill | 2 | 1962, 1968 |
| 11 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 2 | 1972, 1974 |
| 11 | Mika Hakkinen | 2 | 1998, 1999 |
| 11 | Fernando Alonso | 2 | 2005, 2006 |
| 11 | Max Verstappen | 2 | 2021, 2022 |
| 18 | Giuseppe Farina | 1 | 1950 |
| 18 | Mike Hawthorn | 1 | 1958 |
| 18 | Phil Hill | 1 | 1961 |
| 18 | John Surtees | 1 | 1964 |
| 18 | Denny Hulme | 1 | 1967 |
| 18 | Jochen Rindt | 1 | 1970 |
| 18 | James Hunt | 1 | 1976 |
| 18 | Mario Andretti | 1 | 1978 |
| 18 | Jody Scheckter | 1 | 1979 |
| 18 | Alan Jones | 1 | 1980 |
| 18 | Keke Rosberg | 1 | 1982 |
| 18 | Nigel Mansell | 1 | 1992 |
| 18 | Damon Hill | 1 | 1996 |
| 18 | Jacques Villeneuve | 1 | 1997 |
| 18 | Kimi Raikkonen | 1 | 2007 |
| 18 | Jenson Button | 1 | 2009 |
| 18 | Nico Rosberg | 1 | 2016 |
This article will be updated
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