Andrea Kimi Antonelli showed he was a quick learner by becoming F1's youngest race leader and fastest lap setter on his way to sixth place for Mercedes in the Japanese Grand Prix
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris topped the times for McLaren as four red flags, two caused by trackside grass fires, wreaked havoc with the second practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix on Friday.
Yuki Tsunoda will race for Red Bull from his home Japanese Formula One Grand Prix next week with struggling New Zealander Liam Lawson demoted to sister team Racing Bulls in a straight swap.
Verstappen crossed the line in his Red Bull for his 64th Grand Prix victory to a huge ovation from the 115,000 crowd some 1.4 seconds ahead of McLaren's championship leader Lando Norris in second place.
World champion Max Verstappen got back to winning ways on Sunday with a third straight pole-to-flag victory at the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix, leading teammate Sergio Perez across the line for a Red Bull 1-2 at Suzuka.
The 2021 Japanese Formula One Grand Prix has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the second successive year.
"There's a lot of work that still needs to be done in this sport. "I can't retire now, because I'm only just embarking on helping create a more open and inclusive environment here in this sport and I've got to stay to help that continue." said Hamilton.
Suzuka circuit will alternate with Fuji as host of the Japanese Grand Prix from 2009, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone and local organisers said on Saturday.
The Dutch driver won the race at Suzuka, with Leclerc demoted from second to third behind Red Bull's Sergio Perez for cutting the final chicane while defending from the Mexican on the last lap.
Verstappen hustled his Honda-powered Red Bull around the popular figure-of-eight layout in one minute, 29.304 seconds
From a crazy race track crash to Robin van Persie's record for The Netherlands, to Mario Balotelli obliging some female fans, Rediff.com has all that and more snapped right here.
Verstappen suffered two retirements from the first three races but has otherwise finished all but two rounds in the top three.
Force India returned empty-handed from the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix after Adrian Sutil and Paul Di Resta finished a disappointing 11th and 12th respectively in Suzuka on Sunday.
Lewis Hamilton refused to take questions from the media after qualifying second for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix due to "disrespectful" criticism of his behaviour during a news conference two days ago.
World championship leader Nico Rosberg ended the opening day of practice for the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in a strong position after setting the pace in both sessions on Friday.
Germany's Nico Rosberg put Mercedes on pole position for Sunday's Japanese Formula One Grand Prix with championship-leading teammate Lewis Hamilton joining him on the front row.
'The chance is there -- and what kind of racing driver would I be if I stopped believing?'
Michael Schumacher was third with sole title rival Kimi Raikkonen fifth quickest.
The crash that left French Formula One driver Jules Bianchi in a critical condition with severe head injures was down to bad luck rather than poor judgement by Japanese Grand Prix race officials, a track spokesman said on Tuesday.
Qualifying took place at a sunny Suzuka on Sunday morning after being postponed from its usual Saturday slot due to the approach of Typhoon Hagibis.
Sergio Perez was glad simply to make it to the end of the Malaysian Grand Prix, with the Mexican, stricken by a virus, describing it as the hardest race of his career.
Formula One drivers will hold a minute's silence at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday and dedicate the winner's podium to the late Marussia test driver Maria De Villota, they said on Saturday.
Critically injured French Formula One driver Jules Bianchi is no longer in an artificial coma but remains unconscious, his family said in a statement on Wednesday.
Ferrari and McLaren stand to lose millions as a result of the collapse of the Marussia Formula One team, the Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported.
Valtteri Bottas roared to victory in the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday as Mercedes clinched the Formula One constructors' championship for the sixth year in a row.
Formula One team bosses backed the decision of Japanese Grand Prix organisers to cancel all of Saturday's practice and qualifying sessions as the sport hunkered down to ride out Typhoon Hagibis.
Niki Lauda pondered the mystery of the disappearing Mercedes on Sunday after Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg finished one-two in the Japanese Grand Prix but barely featured in television coverage.
Sebastian Vettel may need to rely on a stroke of luck at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday if the German wants to keep alive his diminishing hopes of claiming a fifth Formula One title.
French driver Jules Bianchi was taken to hospital after being seriously injured in a crash that brought a halt to a wet Japanese Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday.
Rediff.com takes you in flashback as we rewind the best from the sporting world in the week gone by.
Nico Rosberg is refusing to get carried away by thoughts of celebrating a maiden Formula One title triumph at the end of the season, despite getting one hand on the championship crown with victory in the Japanese Grand Prix. The German eased to a maiden win from pole position at the Suzuka circuit on Sunday, chalking up his ninth win of the year, to lift himself 33 points clear of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the overall standings.
Lewis Hamilton always dreamed of matching the achievements of his boyhood idol Ayrton Senna, winning as many races and titles as the late great Brazilian who had inspired him to beat the odds.
As another eventful year draws to a close, Rediff.com gives you a pictorial look back at the best and worst moments that shaped the sports stories this year.
Nico Rosberg's 30th pole position of his career was the German's third in a row at Suzuka as Mercedes, who can wrap up a third successive constructors' title on Sunday, claimed first place on the grid for the 52nd time in the last 54 races.
Jules Bianchi, who went into a coma after suffering brain injuries in a horrific crash in Japan last October, recorded his first points for Marussia at the Monaco GP last season.
Marussia's hopes of rising from the dead to race in next month's Formula One season-opener in Australia have suffered a setback after rivals rejected a proposal to let them compete with last year's car.
Jenson Button hit back at Niki Lauda on Saturday after the Austrian Formula One great suggested the driver had told him he wanted to stay at McLaren next year and any uncertainty was about money.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances