Motorsport

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur believes Formula 1’s 2025 season will largely be dictated by qualifying instead of races, which has seen a limited number of overtakes so far. Unlike the weather-affected Australian Grand Prix, which saw a massively shaken up order and overtakes across the field, China and Japan’s race finished close in line to the grid order. Japan’s race…

We’re well into the swing of the 2025 motor racing season now with several major series in action this weekend. Formula 1 has its second of three rounds on consecutive weekends. Formula 2 and Formula 3 join it at Bahrain International Circuit. Meanwhile IndyCar heads to one of its classic street circuits for the Long Beach Grand Prix. And Formula…

Liam Lawson’s nightmare dismissal from Red Bull following just two appearances for him handed a dream debut to the man who replaced him. An abundance of goodwill greeted Yuki Tsunoda as Red Bull finally handed him an opportunity many felt he should have had in the first place. Plus, the timing could hardly have been better: Japan’s only Formula 1…

Laurence EdmondsonApr 7, 2025, 02:55 AM ET Close • Joined ESPN in 2009• An FIA accredited F1 journalist since 2011 SUZUKA, Japan — A familiar question was raised in the aftermath of Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix: Does Formula 1 have an overtaking problem? As brilliant as Max Verstappen’s race-winning performance was, there was no sugar-coating the lack of passing moves up and…

Suzuka demands the absolute best of racing drivers, but the current generation of Formula 1 cars and tyres are plainly ill-suited to it. The result was a processional Japanese Grand Prix where drivers followed each other around, largely unable to attack for fear of their tyres overheating. Qualifying produced some excellent performances, however, and heavily influenced this weekend’s ratings. Lando…

After his tense Japanese Grand Prix win Max Verstappen quipped “you wouldn’t have seen me” if he had been driving the McLaren car. Verstappen finished ahead of McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on Sunday, having snatched pole from under their noses a day earlier. Verstappen nearly lost the lead to Norris at his pit-stop and said after the…

What did you think of today’s race? Share your verdict on the Japanese Grand Prix. Since 2008, RaceFans has surveyed its readers to discover which races they enjoyed the most – and least – during the season. Take part in our latest poll here. Give this race a score out of 10 based on how much you enjoyed it: 10…

SUZUKA, Japan — Perfection. Magical. Inspirational. Whatever word you used to frame Max Verstappen‘s Japanese Grand Prix victory — and superlatives were in high supply throughout the weekend — it was something special. Sunday’s race was not a classic by any means, but Verstappen’s weekend was a vintage of a different kind. It was a race win built on the…

Pictures from the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free Start, Suzuka, 2025 Start, Suzuka, 2025 Start, Suzuka, 2025 Start, Suzuka, 2025 Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Suzuka, 2025 Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, Suzuka, 2025 Esteban Ocon, Haas, Suzuka, 2025 Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Suzuka, 2025 Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin, Suzuka, 2025 Nico Hulkenberg,…

Max Verstappen won the Japanese Grand Prix for Red Bull. Pos. Driver 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 2 Lando Norris McLaren 3 Oscar Piastri McLaren 4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 5 George Russell Mercedes 6 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 7 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 8 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls 9 Alexander Albon Williams 10 Oliver Bearman Haas 11 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin…

Which Formula 1 driver made the most of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend? It’s time to give your verdict on which driver did the best with the equipment at their disposal over the last three days. Review how each driver got on below and vote for who impressed you the most at Suzuka. Driver performance summary Advert | Become a…

Pictures from qualifying day for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Suzuka, 2025 Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Suzuka, 2025 Lando Norris, McLaren, Suzuka, 2025 Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Suzuka, 2025 Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Suzuka, 2025 Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Suzuka, 2025 Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull, Suzuka, 2025 Max Verstappen, Red…

Even McLaren had to admit there was something special about Max Verstappen’s lap for pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix. Either of their drivers could have taken pole position. Together they could have locked out the front row of the grid. But minor errors handed Verstappen the slimmest of opportunities, and he seized it brilliantly. Sector times On a…

Laurence EdmondsonApr 5, 2025, 05:52 AM ET Close • Joined ESPN in 2009• An FIA accredited F1 journalist since 2011 SUZUKA, Japan — Max Verstappen described his pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix as “very unexpected” after he defied the odds to beat the two McLaren drivers to the fastest time in qualifying. The four-time world champion was 0.012 seconds faster…

Max Verstappen claimed a surprise pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix but he’ll have to repel the rapid McLarens for 53 laps to claim his first victory of the year. The threat of rain hangs over Sunday’s race at Suzuka, but will it actually materialise? Here’s the key data for the Japanese Grand Prix. Weather There has been a…

Laurence EdmondsonApr 5, 2025, 06:42 AM ET Close • Joined ESPN in 2009• An FIA accredited F1 journalist since 2011 SUZUKA, Japan — Yuki Tsunoda said he felt “very sad” after his qualifying debut with Red Bull unraveled on Saturday, leaving him 14th on the grid for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix. Tsunoda was promoted to Red Bull ahead of his home race…

Max Verstappen has taken provisional pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix for Red Bull ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. P. Driver Team Q1 Q2 (v Q1) Q3 (v Q2) 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1’27.943 1’27.502 (-0.441s) 1’26.983 (-0.519s) 2 Lando Norris McLaren 1’27.845 1’27.146 (-0.699s) 1’26.995 (-0.151s) 3 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1’27.687 1’27.507 (-0.180s) 1’27.027 (-0.480s)…

Lando Norris put McLaren top of the timesheets in third practice for the Japanese Grand Prix on Saturday with a sizzling lap of one minute 27.965 seconds that bettered Max Verstappen‘s time for pole position last year. The championship leader’s 17th lap was 0.026 seconds quicker than teammate Oscar Piastri‘s best effort with George Russell third fastest for Mercedes ahead…

Red Bull needs to give Max Verstappen’s team mates less competitive set-ups because they cannot handle his “unique” approach to extracting performance from the car, says team principal Christian Horner. The team has replaced Liam Lawson as Verstappen’s team mate this weekend after he failed to score points in either of the opening rounds. Horner said he was pleased with…