Verstappen wins to clinch world title in bizarre circumstances

The Red Bull driver dominated a time-limited and controversial event at Suzuka to win by close to half a minute, but not scoring the bonus point for fastest lap looked to leave him one point short of the title.

However, a post-race 5s penalty for runner-up Leclerc – adjudged to have gained an advantage by running through the last chicane – dropped the Ferrari racer behind the Mexican to hand Verstappen the championship.

The ever-changing weather forecast for the Suzuka weekend culminated in the rain shower that was originally predicted to hit after the race instead dousing the grid in the build up.

As such, all drivers opted for intermediate tyres for what was kept as a proper standing start.

But conditions proved marginal, as the red flag was deployed owing to a messy opening lap.

Leclerc had enjoyed the superior launch, despite the limited grip, to draw alongside polesitter Verstappen and the Ferrari even pulled ahead by half a car length. However, the Red Bull driver kept his foot in through the first corner to hold the line and decisively retake first place.

Meanwhile, there was a litany of incidents behind in the limited visibility and low grip.

Third-starting Carlos Sainz, having been jumped by Sergio Perez, caught a patch of standing water while accelerating and the torque surge spat him at considerable into the barrier.

He was eliminated with a crumpled rear wing, while Alex Albon pulled over on the gravel with Williams engine trouble, as Zhou Gunayu spun his Alfa Romeo to rejoin in 17th place.

Sebastian Vettel, meanwhile, dropped from his impressive ninth in qualifying to 16th after a bump with Fernando Alonso into Turn 1 that pitched him into the gravel and the Aston spun.

Team-mate Lance Stroll, though, shot forward seven places to 11th with a committed first lap.

Pierre Gasly, starting the AlphaTauri from the pitlane owing to a rear wing spec change and revised suspension, drove over an advertising board ripped off from the Sainz impact.

That tore off his front wing and became stuck to block his visibility and force a pitstop.

For all of this, the safety car was initially deployed before the red flags halted events at 1408.

Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri AT03

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

Of concern, when Gasly rejoined on full wets and just as the full red flags came, he appeared to pass at speed a flatbed recovery tractor on track through…