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World champion Max Verstappen killed the idea that McLaren might absolutely dominate the Formula 1 season with victory at the Japanese Grand Prix at the weekend, but the Dutchman was by no means certain he would be able to repeat the feat elsewhere.
Verstappen steered his Red Bull to a pole-to-flag victory for an unprecedented fourth year in a row at Suzuka on Sunday, continuing his love affair with the home circuit of his team's engine providers Honda. The four-time world champion was delighted with his weekend in Japan, highlighted by the brilliant qualifying lap that snatched pole position away from McLaren's Lando Norris, but cautious about what it meant for the remaining 21 races. "I think we know our limitations," he said. "So we just have to try and run against that limitation as much as we can. But yeah, it's still not fixed. So this is hopefully going to be fixed soon, but I cannot give you a timeline on that. It's just about trying to find that limit, which is really sensitive for us at the moment."
Team principal Christian Horner was clear about what the Suzuka win, coming after dominant wins for McLaren in Australia and China, meant for Red Bull. "Max, without any debate, is the best driver in the world currently," he said. "I think for the drivers' championship, Max is, what, one point behind now? So for us, all priority is on that.
The constructors is going to be harder, but it's a long year, and you never give up, and I think there's no better tonic or motivator than winning." After three races, Red Bull are a hefty 50 points behind McLaren in the Constructors' Championship and Verstappen does indeed trail Norris by a single point in the drivers' standings heading to next week's race in Bahrain. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was equally clear in Japan that he wants both titles and, convinced that the best cars in Formula 1 are in his garage, was satisfied with second for Norris and third for Oscar Piastri.
