Suzuka, Oct. 9 (BNA): Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wrapped up his second consecutive F1 title on Sunday by winning the Japanese Grand Prix which was cut short by rain after his closest rival Charles Leclerc was awarded a penalty after the race.
Reuters reported that Dutchman Verstappen crossed the goal line before the Ferrari driver who defended the other Red Bull led by Sergio Perez and narrowly took the tied flag again.
But Monaco added five seconds to their last race time on the last lap, dropping them to third place.
“It’s a crazy feeling of course because I didn’t expect that when I crossed the line,” Verstappen said amid confusion over whether the points reduction under the new rules introduced this year would apply to the race just past halfway.
“Will it be half the points, I didn’t know how many points I would get,” he added.
The FIA, which governs the sport, has made it clear that the reduced points rule applies only to suspended races and cannot be resumed.
Sunday’s race was halted after two rounds due to torrential rain but resumed after just over two hours, with drivers completing 28 of the scheduled 53 laps and full points awarded.
As a result, Verstappen leaves Japan with a 113-point lead over Perez, who is now moving up to second in the overall standings. He needed a margin of at least 112 points for his nearest rival to be crowned champion on Sunday.
Verstappen’s win in Japan was his 12th out of 18 races. With four races remaining, the Dutchman is on track to break the record for most wins in a season, shared by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, at 13.
“Max was just amazing,” said Leclerc, the title favorite who has a 46-point lead over Verstappen after the opening three races.
“It is a well deserved title.
“We will try to push more than the last four races to improve as a team and hopefully put up more challenge next year.”
Verstappen started Sunday’s race from pole position.
He was beaten off the line by Leclerc in the wet but went to a wheel with Ferrari, spray pouring behind them, on the first two corners and took back the lead.
Accidents involving several cars resulted in the safety car being ejected before the opening lap was completed, while a rescue vehicle deployed on the track set off the alarm as the AlphaTauri car passed by Pierre Gasly.
Conditions forced the race to be halted on lap two, and after a two-hour delay, the race resumed with a staggered start.
But Verstappen vanished from the distance and ranked as a 27sec finish over his teammate.
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