Max Verstappen Retains F1 World Title With Four Races Left

Written By Uche Dozie

Verstappen racked up twelve wins in 18 races this season and wins the F1 title with four races left.

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Max Verstappen claimed victory in the Japanese Grand Prix, and took the 2022 world title with it, after a dramatic late penalty for Charles Leclerc put the championship beyond doubt.

Verstappen won, beating Sergio Perez to led a Red Bull one-two after Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who crossed the line second, was penalised for cutting the track and gaining an advantage on the last lap.

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

However, the skies cleared and the race resumed with a rolling start behind the Safety Car, with about 45 minutes left on the three-hour clock that had began ticking with the initial start.

With all drivers switching to intermediate tyres, Verstappen was the better among the drivers as he pulled clear to win by 27 seconds.

Esteban Ocon produced a brilliant defensive display to hold off Lewis Hamilton for fourth, while Sebastian Vettel and Nicholas Latifi benefitted from being the first cars to pit at the restart, finishing sixth and ninth respectively.

Meanwhile…

After learning of his title triumph, Verstappen said: “It’s crazy. [I’ve got] very mixed emotions. What a year we’ve had so far – it’s been incredible. It’s something I could never have imagined happening after last year already, fighting to the end and having such a good car again this year.

“I’m so thankful to everyone who has been contributing to the success. The whole team here [at the track] but also back at the factory constantly working flat out and never missing any motivation to make the car faster.

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“Besides that, the work we’ve done together with Honda all the way through every year, just constantly improving rapidly. To win now twice with them is very emotional, especially here [at their home track], with everyone watching. It gives you a little bit more pressure, but it’s good pressure, it’s positive pressure. I’m very proud that we could do it here.”

Verstappen has racked up 12 wins from 18 races so far this season.

Sunday’s race at Suzuka was just the fourth time this season Verstappen has won from pole, with his improved race-craft enabling him to win from further back on nine occasions.

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