The first Japanese Grand Prix held for three years proved an especially challenging one for all the drivers. Not just the ones who had never driven a Formula 1 around the famous Suzuka circuit before, but even those familiar with the track.
With both Friday and Sunday affected by heavy rain, drivers had their skills pushed to the limits at times – especially in the race.
At the end of race full of incidents, Max Verstappen was declared world champion. But while full points were awarded, little more than half of the race’s originally scheduled 53 laps had been completed. RaceFans’ scores have been calculated in the usual way despite the curtailed race.
Lewis Hamilton – 6
Qualified: 6th (+2 places ahead of team mate)
-0.128s quicker than team mate in Q3
Finished: 5th (+3 places ahead of team mate)
- Out-qualified team mate by a tenth of a second to line up sixth on the grid behind Ocon
- Held onto sixth at the start, gaining fifth when Sainz crashed out on opening lap
- Restarted in fourth after the red flag, pitting on the second green flag lap for intermediates along with cars ahead
- Overtook Schumacher to retake fourth, then chased Ocon ahead
- Pressured Ocon for final 16 laps, but could not get by with lower top speed due to higher downforce setup
- Finished fifth, less than a second behind Ocon
George Russell – 5
Qualified: 8th (-2 places behind team mate)
+0.128s slower than team mate in Q3
Finished: 8th (-3 places behind team mate)
- Quickest in second practice
- Disappointed to only qualify eighth, just over a tenth behind team mate
- Held onto eighth at the start, gaining one place with Sainz’s crash
- Restarted seventh but lost three seconds in double-stack pit stop for intermediates, falling to 11th place
- Complained of a recurrence of a braking problem he experienced during qualifying in Singapore
- Passed Tsunoda around the outside of turn six, then overtook Norris for ninth on the same lap
- Caught and passed Latifi for eighth, then gained seventh when Alonso pitted
- Lost seventh when passed by Alonso on the final lap, finishing eighth
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Max Verstappen – 8
Qualified: Pole (+3 places ahead of team mate)
-0.405s quicker than team mate in Q3
Finished: Winner (+1 place ahead of team mate)
- Ahead of team mate in every session
- Fastest in final practice
- Held onto pole position despite failing to improve on final lap after losing bodywork off the car
- Almost passed by Leclerc off the line but…
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