Max Verstappen, the race winner, celebrates in the parc ferme. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner emphasized one of Verstappen’s most impressive qualities: his ability to handle a Formula 1 car with ease. Verstappen has been dominating the world of F1 since 2022, taking advantage of Red Bull’s return to the top when F1 reintroduced ground effect cars. In this current season, Verstappen has maintained his winning streak, securing three victories and pole position in all four races. After retiring in Australia, Verstappen bounced back and claimed a third consecutive victory in Japan, leading his teammate Sergio Perez in a Red Bull 1-2 finish.
According to Horner, Verstappen is at his peak, demonstrating his mental strength by being aware of the gap between him and the car behind. Horner stated: «I think he’s in great shape. He switched his trainer to Rupert Manwaring, who used to train Carlos Sainz. Verstappen is fit and lean, and the car is performing exceptionally well. You can hear the ease with which he controls the car. He not only wants to know who’s behind him but also their lap times. His ability is truly impressive. His form from last year has continued seamlessly.»
When asked if Verstappen has a 20% reserve to rely on when facing tougher challenges, Horner replied: «He has become very savvy in managing the tires. His ability to extend tire life is impressive, as we have seen in the first and second stints. He has a wise head on his young shoulders.»
A pesar de las preocupaciones de Verstappen sobre el ritmo de carrera de Red Bull en comparación con Ferrari durante los entrenamientos, el equipo aseguró la primera fila en Suzuka. Carlos Sainz, quien conduce para Ferrari, terminó 20 segundos detrás de Verstappen, mientras que Charles Leclerc quedó 6 segundos atrás. Horner comentó: «Es normal, esto es carrera. Hemos estado discutiendo esto en la Fórmula 1 durante los últimos 20 años. Sin embargo, nuestro equipo de ingeniería hizo un excelente trabajo este fin de semana, y tanto Max como Checo fueron excepcionales. Es la manera perfecta de recuperarse después de la decepción en Australia.»
El buen rendimiento de Red Bull aumentó su ventaja sobre Ferrari en el Campeonato de Constructores a 21 puntos, con McLaren 72 puntos por detrás. Verstappen, por otro lado, mantiene una ventaja de 13 puntos sobre su compañero de equipo Pérez en el Campeonato de Pilotos, con los pilotos de Ferrari justo detrás del mexicano.
