Max Verstappen continued his reign at Suzuka on Sunday, locking in his fourth straight Japanese Grand Prix win with a clinical performance that reminded everyone just how dialed in Red Bull is when it counts. But unlike some of his previous victories here, this one came under pressure — and that pressure came from McLaren.

Verstappen bounced back in style, leading from pole and fending off a determined Lando Norris throughout the race. “It means a lot,” Max said post-race. The car felt good and the team nailed everything.”

Lando Norris crossed the line in P2, with teammate Oscar Piastri following closely in third, giving McLaren a strong double podium. But the mood in the camp was a bit more grounded than celebratory.

“We weren’t bad, just not anything special today,” Norris admitted. “Red Bull and Max were just quicker. We were close at times, but it wasn’t a race where we felt like we could go on the attack.”

Despite the result, there are clear signs that McLaren is building momentum. They lead the constructors championship after the first three rounds.

One thing’s for sure: the 2025 season is wide open, and Suzuka just turned up the heat.

🏆 Driver Standings – After Japanese GP (Round 3/24)

Note: Standings are based on official results following Round 3.