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Max Verstappen won the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, marking his first win of the year. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was proud of the Dutchman's efforts as he congratulated him after the race with a warm hug.
Verstappen produced a fine performance to win pole position at the Suzuka circuit on Saturday, April 5, as he delivered the fastest lap recorded in Japanese GP history. Despite the RB21 not being the fastest car on the grid, the Dutch driver beat Lando Norris of McLaren to get pole.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, April 6, Verstappen converted his pole position into a noteworthy victory. He kept McLaren teammates, Norris and Oscar Piastri, off the bay to cross the checkered flag first and secure his first win of the season.
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While the entire Red Bull garage was ecstatic with the triumph, team principal Christian Horner was equally happy. He hugged Max Verstappen after the race and congratulated him on his excellent drive at Suzuka.
"Wow, well done mate," Horner said to Verstappen.
Meanwhile, the victory meant a lot to Red Bull since they started the season with two losses in Australia and Japan. Their car, RB21, is still not faster than McLaren and is uncomfortable to drive, as revealed by Verstappen during the qualifying session. However, the win at Suzuka is perhaps the ray of hope the Milton Keynes-based squad is looking for.
On the other hand, McLaren also got a double podium finish, with Lando Norris finishing P2 and Oscar Piastri claiming P3. At some point, the Australian driver appeared to have better pace, with on-air commentators suggesting a driver swap.
However, McLaren decided against it and settled for a double podium finish. The team won the first two races in Australia and China, and with another positive finish in Suzuka, the team is seated at the top of the constructors championship table with 111 points.
Max Verstappen reacts to his win in Japan
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen got his first victory of the 2025 season as he won the recently concluded Japanese GP. While the race was tough for him with McLaren drivers chasing him, the Red Bull driver calmed his nerves to cross the finish line.
Reflecting on his race in a post-race interview, Verstappen said:
“It was tough, [I was] just pushing very hard, especially on the last set [of tires]. The two McLarens were pushing me very hard, and it was a lot of fun out there. Not easy, of course, to manage the tires, but I’m incredibly happy. It started off quite tough this weekend, but we didn’t give up; we kept improving the car, and today it was in its best form. Of course, starting on pole really made it possible to win this race."
With this win, Max Verstappen has closed down the gap to Lando Norris in the championship race. He is now trailing by only a single point, with 61 points, whereas Norris has 62 points.
