Max Verstappen wins Japanese GP, clinching Red Bull’s constructors’ championship

Max Verstappen won the Japanese Grand Prix, and Red Bull secured the 2023 constructors’ championship. Here’s what you need to know:

• Five different drivers were forced to retire from the race, one of whom was Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Pérez. But Red Bull began preparing his car for him to return despite being multiple laps down to serve his time penalty.
• Oscar Piastri continued his standout rookie season with his first F1 grand prix podium finish.
• Mercedes made the late call to swap George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, even though Carlos Sainz was close behind the duo. The Silver Arrows tried to execute the DRS trick Sainz and Lando Norris used in Singapore, but it did not pan out as the Ferrari quickly passed Russell.

Provisional race results

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Lando Norris (McLaren)
3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
6. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
7. George Russell (Mercedes)
8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
10. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
11. Liam Lawson (AlphaTauri)
12. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri)
13. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)
14. Nico Hülkenberg (Haas)
15. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

DNF — Alex Albon (Williams)
DNF — Logan Sargeant (Williams)
DNF — Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
DNF — Sergio Pérez (Red Bull)
DNF — Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)