$word}-
F1 CAR RACING/ Verstappen bounces back with dominant win at Japanese Grand Prix
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
April 8,starcraft brood war campaign 2024 at 07:10 JST
- Share
- Tweet list
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, left, leads Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco, right, during the Japanese Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, on April 7. (AP Photo)
SUZUKA, Mie Prefecture--Max Verstappen's record-breaking dominance in Formula 1 resumed Sunday with his victory in the Japanese Grand Prix, leading almost the entire race on a sunny day in central Japan.
His abrupt breakdown two weeks ago in Melbourne, Australia, looks like a blip in his total command over F1. He was out on the fourth lap when he rear brakes caught fire.
Nothing like that this time.
Verstappen basically led from start to finish except briefly after a pit stop. He was followed across the finish line by Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez — 12.5 seconds behind — and Carlos Sainz of Ferrari. Sainz was 20 seconds off the pace.
The three-time defending F1 champion is again this season's points leader and now has won 22 of the last 26 races dating from the start of the 2023 season. Only two other drivers have won in that span — Red Bull teammate Perez and Sainz, the winner in Australia two weeks ago.
Responding to a question, Sainz suggested that Verstappen and Red Bull are so dominant that the season might already be over after just four of 24 races.
“I think they are definiteley going to have an advantage in the first third of the season until we bring in one or two upgrades," Sainz said. “But by that time maybe it’s a bit too late with the advantage they might have in the championship.”
Verstappen, of course, said the season would be competitive and suggested Red Bull might struggle in street races.
“It’s still a very long season," he said. “I don’t want to think about the rest of the season too much.”
A red flag just seconds into the tightly packed first lap when Alex Albon and Daniel Ricciardo clipped each other on the second turn and crashed out halted the race.
That was basically the only real drama.
“The critical bit was the start to stay ahead and after that the car just got better and better,” Verstappen said later. “It couldn’t have been any better.”
Both Albon and Ricciardo walked away, apparently without serious injuries. The restart was delayed 30 minutes to get the cars off the track and clear debris.
Verstappen, who now has 57 career wins, pushed his season points total to 77 and is 13 clear of Perez on 64. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc follows with 59 with Sainz on 55.
“It’s nice to win, and it’s nice to win here in Japan," said Verstappen, whose car is powered by a Honda engine. “It’s always an important race for us and it’s great to win here in front of Honda.”
“Melbourne felt like a bit of a hiccup,” he added. “But what we did today is what we want to do and that’s what we aim to do every single weekend.”
Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda, driving for the RB team, finished 10th to earn a point.
The next race is the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai in two weeks. F1 has not run there since 2019 with four races called off because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
An F1 sprint race will also be run in China a day before the GP, cutting down practice time on an unfamiliar track.
“It's going to be quite hectic,” Verstappen said. “We've haven't been there in a while — only one practice session to get into it again. So I think it will be quite interesting.”
Verstappen, Perez and Sainz were all critical of squeezing in the sprint, which cuts out practice time. But they said it might make the weekend more entertaining for fans and drive interest and revenue.
“I think it's not great,” Verstappen said. “When you have been away from a track for quite a while, you never know what you're going to experience. It would have been better to have a normal race weekend.”
Sainz added: “I think it's not a good choice to put the sprint after four or five years absence. We also heard there is resurfacing going on.”
The Japanese GP was run in the midst of the cherry blossom season across the Japanese archipelago. The Suzuka track was built by Honda and is still run by the Japanese car builder. It's set southwest of Nagoya, Japan's fourth largest city, in a center of heavy industry.
Verstappen, 26, put down rumors early this week that he might leave Red Bull, maybe for Mercedes.
“From my side, I'm very happy where I am. And, yeah, we want to keep it that way,” he said and even hinted at an early retirement.
“I have a contract with Red Bull until ’28,” he said. “After that, I first want to see if I actually even want to continue. That’s for me the most important.”
相关文章
横浜FMのDF畠中槙之輔が母校がい旋「夢がなくても焦る必要ない」小学生の“後輩”104人にアドバイス
横浜FMのDF畠中槙之輔が母校がい旋「夢がなくても焦る必要ない」小学生の“後輩”104人にアドバイス2024年11月15日 8時0分スポーツ報知横浜FMのDF畠中槙之輔が14日、母校の横浜市立中川小学2024-11-15G大阪DF福岡将太が2戦連発! 福岡はPK成功&勝ち越しゴールで1点リード 前半終了
G大阪DF福岡将太が2戦連発!福岡はPK成功&勝ち越しゴールで1点リード前半終了2024年8月24日 19時37分スポーツ報知◆明治安田J1リーグ▽第28節G大阪―福岡24日・パナソニックスタジアム吹2024-11-15亀田和毅、レラト・ドラミニに判定2―1で勝利しリベンジ果たす IBF世界フェザー級指名挑戦者決定戦
亀田和毅 、レラト・ドラミニに判定2―1で勝利しリベンジ果たすIBF世界フェザー級指名挑戦者決定戦2024年8月24日 20時22分スポーツ報知◆プロボクシング▽IBF世界フェザー級57・1キロ以下)指2024-11-15脇元華、桑木志帆が10アンダーの首位に並ぶ 鶴岡果恋が1打差3位…ニトリレディス第3日終了
脇元華、桑木志帆が10アンダーの首位に並ぶ鶴岡果恋が1打差3位…ニトリレディス第3日終了2024年8月24日 15時15分スポーツ報知◆女子プロゴルフツアーニトリレディス第3日24日 、北海道・桂GC=2024-11-15Shohei Ohtani's rural hometown honors its superstar son
Shohei Ohtani's rural hometown honors its superstar son THE ASSOCIATED PRESSOctober 30,2024-11-15百田光雄 、大仁田厚50周年記念大会に駆けつけあいさつ「本来ならジジイの強さを見せつけたいところでしたが…」
百田光雄 、大仁田厚50周年記念大会に駆けつけあいさつ「本来ならジジイの強さを見せつけたいところでしたが…」2024年8月24日 18時25分スポーツ報知◆「テリー・ファンク1周忌追悼・大仁田厚デビュー2024-11-15
最新评论