Verstappen Crosses Finish Line First, Snagging His Maiden Win Of Season At Suzuka (PHOTO)

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 7. The third round of the Formula 1 World Championship-the Japanese Grand Prix-saw Max Verstappen crossing the finish line like a bat out of hell, securing a victory that left no stone unturned, Trend reports.

The Red Bull driver crossed the finish line first, notching up his inaugural victory of the season and the 64th feather in his cap at Suzuka.

In Friday's free practice sessions, McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri really hit the ground running, showcasing impressive performances. However, Verstappen pulled a rabbit out of the hat in qualifying, clinching pole position with finesse. This marked his fourth straight pole at Suzuka, hitting the nail on the head once again.

Given that passing is like finding a needle in a haystack at Suzuka, the qualifying session is seen as the be-all and end-all of the weekend. In this session, a driver's knack and mental fortitude are the name of the game. Under the gun, both McLaren drivers stumbled, while the four-time world champion, Max Verstappen, kept his nose clean in his final shot, snagging his 41st career pole. Verstappen's last pole position with Red Bull came at their home turf in Austria.

The driver change at Red Bull has been the talk of the town, especially among the media and fans, with the Japanese fans really having their ears to the ground on this one. Liam Lawson was shown the door after only two races, while Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda hit the jackpot with a promotion to the main team – a real feather in the cap for local fans in Suzuka.

There wasn't a whole lot of shaking up in the top 10 after the dust settled. With the track's rubber buildup, tire grip was as slippery as a greased pig, and drivers were walking on eggshells. Throughout the race, the strategic pit stops were just a drop in the bucket and did not shake up the positions. Verstappen kept the pedal to the metal and left his rivals in the dust.

Norris and Piastri from McLaren crossed the finish line, taking their places on the podium like two peas in a pod. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari crossed the finish line in 4th place, while Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli held their ground to wrap up the race without a hitch.

The sole move that turned the tide of the race was executed by Ferrari's seven-time champ Lewis Hamilton, who zipped past rookie Ayzek Hager from Racing Bulls. Alex Albon from Williams and Oliver Berman from Haas crossed the finish line in the points zone, proving that they can hold their own in the race and not just be also-rans.

The championship is progressing towards the subsequent phase, the Bahrain nocturnal event.

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