Max Verstappen won the Japanese Grand Prix by holding off both McLaren drivers. The Dutchman’s key to success was grabbing pole position by just 0.012 seconds from Lando Norris. After the Red Bull driver stayed ahead into turn 1, Verstappen controlled the race, edging out Norris by just over a second.
McLaren will see this race as a missed opportunity. They had the fastest car on the grid but failed to utilise it. Despite pulling clear of Mercedes in the constructors’ table, they will feel they had the pace to win. This result could come back to haunt McLaren when other teams catch up. But how did McLaren fail to give their drivers the best opportunity to win?
Should McLaren have swapped drivers?
After the only round of pit stops, Verstappen still led the McLaren duo. The pair of Papaya cars were closing in on the four-time world champion, with Lando Norris ahead of Oscar Piastri. However, it was the Australian who was showing the better pace. Piastri commented over the team radio: “I think I have the pace to get Max.”
LAP 44/53
📻 “I think I have the pace to get Max”
Piastri believes he can get closer to Verstappen, but Norris is almost in DRS range of the Red Bull!#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/0iPft1QbIX
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 6, 2025
With Piastri being the faster driver, McLaren could have swapped drivers in the pursuit of Verstappen. Piastri might have had the extra pace advantage to catch and pass Max as Norris struggled to get into the Red Bull’s DRS zone.
However, this would have been a big call for McLaren to make. Norris would have lost the lead in the driver’s championship if Piastri had been unable to overtake Verstappen. The two McLaren drivers are also fighting each other for the championship alongside Max. The pair are free to race under ‘papaya rules’, but the team would need to get involved to swap drivers.
Was McLaren too conservative during pit stops?
McLaren felt they had to stop Oscar Piastri earlier than Norris and Verstappen to cover off the early-stopping George Russell. However, pitting early in Japan was not the ideal strategy. Kimi Antonelli pitted the latest on the medium tyres and was able to close up to Russell, wiping off a ten-second deficit.
There was a chance McLaren could have done this strategy with Lando Norris. They could have left Norris out to overcut Verstappen or have a better tyre offset towards the end of the race. This would have left Norris with a better chance of overtaking the Dutchman with optimal grip.
McLaren Missed Opportunities: How Strategic Missteps Cost Lando Norris the Championship
Last season, McLaren was accused of making too many mistakes on the pit wall. The conservative strategy calls cost Norris winning in Canada and Britain, costing the Brit vital points in the championship battle. McLaren looked to have learnt from the opening two races, but to win the drivers’ championships, the team must take risks.
Verstappen won the races on Saturday, according to the McLaren driver’s
With it being difficult to overtake around Japan, the best way to secure victory is to put the car in pole position. Verstappen was able to edge out the McLaren duo, and both drivers lamented not being head of the grid.
Lando Norris said: “I guess just lost out yesterday. Max drove a good race today, made no mistakes. They deserved it this weekend. They are quick, they have been catching up and as a team we didn’t have enough this weekend so we need to work hard.”
🚨| Oscar gives his immediate post race thoughts after a third place finish:
“The pace today was really, really good. I was happy with that, but the track position around here is so important. I think yesterday was the day you effectively won the race, and I didn’t do a good…
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) April 6, 2025
Teammate Oscar Piastri added: “The pace today was really, really good. I was happy with that, but the track position around here is so important. I think yesterday was the day you effectively won the race, and I didn’t do a good enough job. The pace was mega, I just need to make sure I’m in a better position to use it.”
The next part of the triple header is at Bahrain, where pole position isn’t as important. It is a track where overtaking is possible with three DRS zones and long straights. But who will come out victorious in Sakhir?
