Suzuka [Japan], October 9 (ANI): Following his 2022 Formula 1 championship title win, star racer Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing mentioned that the win feels “more beautiful” than his first one, which was “a little more emotional”.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing clinched his second Formula one championship as he gained a restarted Japanese GP race at Suzuka after Charles Leclerc of Ferrari was penalised for reducing the chicane on the ultimate lap whereas defending from different Red Bull racers, Sergio Perez.
“The first one is a little more emotional, the second one is more beautiful. It has been a special year, and you need to remind yourself as these kind of years you do not have very often,” Sky Sports quoted Verstappen as saying.
“It is a pretty crazy feeling, of course, because I did not expect it when I crossed the line. Of course, you could see it slowly happening, but it is incredible at the end of the day that we did win it here. I did not know how many points I was going to get,” he added.
A dramatic late penalty for Leclerc helped Verstappen win the race and clinch his second title.
The star racer heads to United States Grand Prix and ultimate 4 races of the season with an enormous lead over his rivals Perez and Leclerc, with him at 366 factors and Perez, Leclerc at 253 and 252 factors respectively. This confirms Verstappen’s standing as a champion of the continuing season.
The race received underway at 1400 native time. But a prolonged delay occurred, with the three-hour race restrict ticking down. Two-hour window got here into power after the preliminary begin. With 50 minutes left to race on clock, the Safety Car carried out a rolling begin. And the pack of vehicles was launched, compelled to run wets, reasonably than having the selection to make use of intermediates.
Verstappen defended from Leclerc after a detailed run to Turn 1. Only two laps had been accomplished earlier than the motion received red-flagged amid intense rain and different incidents, which additionally noticed Carlos Sainz of Ferrari crashing out of the race. There was enormous confusion about whether or not full or partial factors will likely be awarded for the GP which noticed solely 29 laps out of 53 being accomplished.
Regardless of full or partial factors being awarded, Leclerc ending second would have denied Verstappen the title. But his ultimate lap error led to him being handed over a five-second penalty that noticed him pushed again to the third spot behind Perez.
The race was threatened by controversy, as an preliminary try to start out throughout heavy rain resulted in chaos, with Carlos Sainz crashing into the barrier, earlier than a restoration tractor got here on observe earlier than the race had been red-flagged, with the vehicles nonetheless on the circuit.
Race Standings: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing), Sergio Perez (Red Bull Racing), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Esteban Ocon (Alpine Renault), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), Fernando Alonso (Alpine Renault), George Russell (Mercedes), Nicholas Latifi (Williams Racing), Lando Norris (Williams Racing). (ANI)