2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix Highlights

Max Verstappen showcased his mastery at the Suzuka Circuit, clinching his first victory of the season in style at the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix 🇯🇵. The reigning World Champion started from the pole and maintained a commanding lead despite intense pressure from the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Verstappen’s race wasn’t without drama, particularly during the pit stops. A tight exit with Norris caused some controversy, though stewards opted not to investigate further. Undeterred, Verstappen controlled the pace, steadily increasing his advantage over Norris as the race progressed.

In the closing laps, Piastri mounted a spirited challenge on Norris, forcing the McLaren driver to defend fiercely. However, Verstappen’s flawless drive secured him his 64th Grand Prix victory, reinforcing his championship ambitions.

Behind the leading trio, Charles Leclerc secured a solid fourth place for Ferrari, followed by the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, who both showcased competitive form throughout the race.

Further down the field, Lewis Hamilton added points to Scuderia’s tally with a steady seventh-place finish, while rookie Isack Hadjar impressed with a well-deserved eighth place for Racing Bulls. Alex Albon and Ollie Bearman completed the points-scoring positions for Williams and Haas, respectively.

Notably, Yuki Tsunoda made his Red Bull debut, finishing 12th and earning the Driver of the Day accolade despite missing out on points. Pierre Gasly led Alpine in 13th, with Carlos Sainz and Jack Doohan securing positions for Williams and Alpine.

The race also marked a return to form for Nico Hulkenberg in 16th for Kick Sauber, while Liam Lawson finished 17th for Racing Bulls. Esteban Ocon and Gabriel Bortoleto rounded out the finishers, with Lance Stroll completing the order in 20th for Aston Martin.

Verstappen’s victory now places him just one point behind Norris in the championship standings, setting the stage for an electrifying season ahead.

When the top six finish in the exact order they started, it’s tempting to write the race off as a snooze-fest. And while this wasn’t exactly a contender for “Greatest Grand Prix Ever,” there were still sparks of intensity throughout. Just look at qualifying: the top three were split by a razor-thin 44 thousandths of a second. Come race day, they crossed the line within two seconds of each other — proof that the fight at the front was far from dull.

The race unfolded in two distinct phases. The opening stint, especially through Sector 1 — notoriously brutal on tyres — was approached with measured caution. But once the halfway mark passed, the gloves came off. Fourteen of the twenty drivers clocked their fastest laps in the final five tours of the circuit. Antonelli’s blistering 1’30”965 wasn’t just the fastest of the race — it was a staggering 2.741 seconds quicker than Verstappen’s best lap from last year, highlighting the leap in performance this season.

Suzuka is usually a track where tyre degradation wreaks havoc, but not this time. Thanks to unusually low ambient and track temps — the coldest recorded here since 2011 — and a major step forward in the 2025 tyre compounds, drivers were able to push without a significant drop-off. Both the Hard and Medium tyres held up remarkably well, even over extended stints. And perhaps most impressively, despite the cool conditions, graining — one of the key issues we aimed to tackle with this year’s rubber — was virtually non-existent across the grid.

The day on the track:

The 15 drivers, all in the top eight rows, lined up on the starting grid, having chosen the Medium for the opening stint. The only exception was Hamilton, who opted for the Hard. On the back two rows, the places were split between Hard and Soft: Ocon and Bortoleto chose the C1, the hardest compound suitable for long stints, while Stroll and Doohan the C3, a softer compound offering better grip but wearing out faster.

According to Friday’s data analysis, almost the entire field was made just one stop, the quickest strategic option. The Hard compound was the near-universal choice for the second stint, although Sainz and Lawson ran the race without using the hardest tyres, opting for a Medium-Soft strategy instead. Stroll was the only driver to run all three compounds in a move that engaged the audience.

The longest stint of all came courtesy of Doohan, who ran a set of Hards for an impressive 38 laps, while Sainz and Lawson went all the way to lap 33 on the Medium before pitting.

2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix Race Results

2025 Constructor Standings

Here are the team-by-team highlights:

Hear from McLaren Formula 1 drivers Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Team Principal Andrea Stella after the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix.

It was a clean start for Lando and Oscar, as both drivers held their positions through the first lap. Oscar pitted ahead of the leaders for a set of Hard tyres. Lando and Verstappen pitted simultaneously for Hard tyres, remaining very tight together. The race settled down, with the papaya boys running close to the leader. Lando and Oscar finished on the podium in P2 and P3, respectively, extending our lead in the Constructors’ Championship.

Lando Norris, Driver, McLaren Racing

It was a flat-out race from lights out to the checkered flag today. The pace across the field was incredibly tight, which made overtaking opportunities hard to come by. Max drove a clean, mistake-free race, and in the end, starting positions from Qualifying played a huge role in the final result. Still, it’s been a strong weekend for the team—we brought home more valuable points together. We’ll keep pushing and come back even stronger in Bahrain. Let’s keep the momentum going. 💪

Oscar Piastri, Driver, McLaren Racing

Solid haul of points and a fantastic result for the team today! The pace felt strong all race, and I was really happy with how we performed. We pushed hard and came close to an overtake a few times, but track position is everything around here. Honestly, yesterday was where the race was won — we just missed that final piece in quali. Still, super proud to bring home a podium! We’re heading to Bahrain full of confidence and ready to fight at the front again. 💪🔥

Andrea Stella, Team Principal, McLaren Racing

🏁 A double podium finish is a positive result for the team. 🏆 We felt that victory was within reach, but yesterday, we missed out on pole position by just a few milliseconds. 📊 Today, the Qualifying order largely dictated the outcome of the Grand Prix.

🔍 We’ll review whether there were any variables we could have leveraged this afternoon. However, our options were limited with low degradation and a one-stop strategy. ✅ Overall, we’ve scored valuable points in both Championships and delivered a smooth, well-executed weekend — a testament to the efforts of our trackside team and everyone back at the factory.

🌍 Now, we turn our focus to Bahrain.

George Russell finished fifth, and Kimi Antonelli sixth at the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix. In a race with limited overtaking opportunities, both drivers came home in the positions they had started the 53-lap race.

Both drivers ran a one-stop race, starting on the Medium compound before switching to the Hard tyre for their second and final stint.
In the early stages, George put Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari under pressure, but at a circuit notoriously challenging to pass, he was unable to find a way past.

Running in Leclerc’s dirty air likely hurt George’s tyres, so the team opted to attempt the undercut on lap 19. Whilst it was close on pit exit as Leclerc stopped two laps later, he ultimately came out behind the Monegasque driver and held P5 to the flag. That is George’s seventh consecutive top-five finish and his best result at Suzuka.

Kimi, meanwhile, extended his first stint with impressive pace to become the youngest driver to lead an F1 race. He then protected against Lewis Hamilton’s undercut from the Ferrari and pulled away to end the battle between Leclerc and George. He set a blistering 1:30.965 to become the youngest driver to claim a Grand Prix fastest lap.

The team will return to Bahrain next week for the second race of this triple-header.

George Russell, Driver, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

🎌 Today’s race was a tough one to swallow. All of the top six cars finished precisely where they started. Suzuka lived up to its reputation—⛔️ overtaking is nearly impossible here, and with a straightforward one-stop strategy, the outcome was locked in from qualifying.

🛠️ We pushed hard to undercut Leclerc during the first stint but just didn’t have the raw pace to make it stick—especially after battling through traffic on those critical laps. In truth, P5 was probably the ceiling today, regardless of strategy.

⚡️ The real frustration comes from Saturday. We had the pace in practice. The car was capable of a front-row start. But this was the first qualifying session of the season where we didn’t extract everything—and that hurts.

🔁 That said, it’s time to reset.

The next stop is Bahrain 🏜️ a totally different test with scorching temperatures and a brutally abrasive track surface. It will be fascinating to see how the grid performs in those conditions.

Kimi Antonelli, Driver, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

Today was a really solid race from my side, and I’m happy with how it played out. 🏁 We showed great pace, especially once I found some clean air—the car came alive. 🚀 I was able to extend my stint on the Medium tyre, which felt really strong. The balance stayed positive even after switching to the Hard compound, and I could push consistently. 🔄 I was reeling in the cars ahead, but unfortunately, I just ran out of laps to make a move at the end. ⏱️”

“One of the highlights? Leading the race for a few laps. 🥇 It was a surreal moment—an incredible feeling to become the youngest driver in F1 history to do so. 📚 The next target? Leading the only lap that really counts—the final one. 🏆”

“Overall, it’s been a great weekend. 🌟 I really enjoyed the track and felt like I was getting on top of it by the end. 🛞 Each session in the W16 helps me build confidence and understanding, and I’m excited to take another step forward in Bahrain. 🌍 The goal is to keep improving and start challenging for those higher positions. ⬆️

Bradley Lord, Team Representative, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

We leave Japan with solid points in hand 🏁 but also the feeling that more was on the table this weekend. Suzuka remains one of the most technical and unforgiving tracks on the calendar, and today’s race made overtaking as tricky as ever.

⚡ George showed an impressive early pace and looked poised to challenge Leclerc’s Ferrari 🟥🟨. But in the end, he couldn’t quite make a move stick. Running in dirty air 🌫️ compromised his tyres, blunting our undercut strategy and limiting the potential of his charge. The silver lining? If we’d qualified closer to our true potential 🎯, a podium finish was absolutely within reach.

🔧 Kimi, meanwhile, continued his upward trajectory 📈. Growing in confidence throughout the weekend, he handled one of F1’s most challenging tracks like a seasoned pro. Milestones followed: he led his first laps in Formula 1 🥇 and set his maiden fastest lap ⏱️—becoming the youngest driver ever to do so. This marks his third consecutive strong performance, a testament to his development and rising momentum.

🔜 Next stop: Bahrain. A rough, abrasive circuit 🌵 under the lights that brings new challenges and new opportunities. The objective is clear: we want to be right in the mix and fight for the podium again. 🏆

Max Verstappen got off to a strong start from the pole position at the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix and held off the two McLaren drivers to bank his first 2025 World Championship victory and fourth consecutive win around the Suzuka track.

The Dutch superstar wasn’t without challenges—most notably a tense moment with Lando Norris during their pit stop phase—but kept his cool to notch his 64th career Grand Prix win. His performance marks a perfect blend of precision and resilience, reminding fans and rivals alike why he’s the driver to beat in the new season.

Teammate Yuki Tsunoda, racing on home soil for the newly restructured Oracle Red Bull Racing, crossed the line in 12th after a spirited drive. While the result fell short of expectations, the 24-year-old Japanese driver remained upbeat about his personal performance.

Max Verstappen, Driver, Red Bull Racing

💪 It was tough, just pushing very hard, especially on the last set. The two McLarens were really pushing. It was a lot of fun out there; it was not easy to manage the tyres.” 🚗💨

🇯🇵 “This place means a lot to me. It was in the back of my mind in the last few laps—to stay ahead would be a great story, a kind of final farewell with Honda here in Japan. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together over the years. This is a perfect send-off. 🏁

Yuki Tsunoda, Driver, Red Bull Racing

I’m happy with the race in terms of my performance, but the result is quite challenging—especially for my home Grand Prix. 🏁 I was definitely expecting more. 🚗💨

CHRISTIAN HORNER, CEO and Team Principal

What a race! 🏁 An imperious drive from the front secured a fourth consecutive win at Suzuka for Max, the Team, and, of course, our engine partners, Honda, to whom we owe a debt of thanks and gratitude for their unwavering support over the years. 🙏

In reality, though, the hard work was done yesterday. It has to be one of the best weekends of Max’s career, one that further solidifies Max as the best in the world currently. 🏆 Suzuka is a driver’s circuit, and boy, did Max deliver! 💥

Equally, credit has to go to the engineering Team as well for turning things upside down after Friday and pushing together to get the job done. 🔧💡

It was a solid performance for Yuki. The nature of the race meant overtaking was hard to come by throughout, but he made some ground and will only improve as he continues to settle into the Team over the next few races. 🏎️

Scuderia Ferrari HP leaves the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix with 18 valuable points—its highest race total so far in this challenging start to the season. Charles Leclerc brought home a strong fourth place, while Lewis Hamilton claimed seventh, both delivering solid performances in what turned out to be a solitary, dry-weather race.

Strategic Split Pays Off

Rain earlier in the day gave way to dry conditions by race time, allowing for a fully dry Grand Prix. The team opted for a split tyre strategy: Leclerc started on the Mediums, Hamilton on the Hards. Both drivers held position off the line, with Hamilton making his first move on Lap 6, overtaking Isack Hadjar at Turn 1 to climb to seventh.

Pit stops began unfolding from Lap 19. Leclerc boxed for Hards on Lap 21, rejoining in 10th before steadily regaining ground to slot into fourth—where he had started—after the field cycled through their stops. Hamilton extended his stint until Lap 30, running as high as second behind Kimi Antonelli before switching to Mediums and rejoining in seventh.

Steady Finish, Room to Improve

In the second half of the race, the order largely stabilized. Leclerc ran consistently but gradually lost tenths per lap to Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and the McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, putting a podium finish just out of reach.

Hamilton, meanwhile, engaged in a brief battle with Antonelli, but his Medium tyres began to fade, forcing him to settle for seventh at the flag.

Eyes on Bahrain

With margins as tight as ever—just a few tenths separating contenders from the midfield—every improvement matters. The team now sets its sights on Bahrain, Round 4 of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship. Improving the balance of the SF-25 and optimizing tyre management will be crucial to unlocking its full potential.

Another test awaits, but with solid points from Japan, the momentum is building.

Charles Leclerc, Driver, Scuderia Ferrari

It was a bit of a lonely race out there today 🏁. P4 is never the result we aim for 🥲, but there are positives to take from the weekend 💪. The work we put in on Friday with set-up adjustments really paid off 🔧, and we’ve made solid progress 📈. That said, we know there’s still a gap to the front 🚗💨 — they’ve got a clear edge on pace right now 🏎️. We’re focused on maximizing every opportunity, every point 🏆, and that’s what we did today ✅. The goal is to keep our heads down, keep pushing 💥, and hopefully close the gap so we can fight for wins later in the season 🏅.

Lewis Hamilton, Driver, Scuderia Ferrari

That was a challenging race for us today 🏎️. We just didn’t have the pace to fight with the front-runners 🚦, and that’s something we’re going to dig into 🔍 and work hard on before the next rounds. I opted for a setup that felt solid overall ⚙️, but out on track, it didn’t quite give me the edge I needed 🏁. Massive credit to the team 👏 – everyone’s been working flat out 💪, and we’ll keep pushing as one to unlock more performance 🔓. And to the fans 👯‍♂️ – you’ve been absolutely incredible all weekend 🌟. Your energy and support out there genuinely make a difference 🙏.

Frédéric Vasseur – Team Principal, Scuderia Ferrari

Today’s race result 🏁 was a clear reflection of what we saw in qualifying yesterday. Given the car 🚗 we had this weekend, we probably couldn’t have achieved much more. We were consistently two to three-tenths off the pace ⏱️ in qualifying, and that gap carried over into the race.

There are still some areas where we’re struggling ⚙️, and it’s clear we need to keep pushing 🔧 to unlock more potential from the car as we head into Bahrain 🇧🇭 and Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦. There’s definitely room for improvement 📈, particularly with car balance ⚖️ and tyre management 🛞.

The good news is that for Bahrain next week, all teams—including us—will benefit from having baseline data 📊 from pre-season testing. That should give us a clearer picture 👀 of where we really stand and help guide our next steps ➡️ toward progress.

For the third round of the 2025 Formula One World Championship, the team made their way across the East China Sea from Shanghai to Suzuka. Get the thoughts of Lance, Fernando and the team from across the weekend.

Rain fell on Suzuka Circuit ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, and clouds continued to loom over the track, with a 40 per cent chance of precipitation during the race itself. Following a penalty for Carlos Sainz, Fernando began the race from P12 on the Medium tyre. Starting from P20, Lance opted for the Soft compound.

Both drivers made up a place on the Grand Prix’s opening lap. Lance and Fernando pitted for Hard tyres at the end of Laps 9 and 24, respectively. Lance made his second stop midway through the race, coming in for Mediums. Fernando finished just outside the points in P11.

Fernando Alonso, Driver, Aston Martin F1 Team

💥 It was a tough race today at Suzuka. 🏁 We pushed hard, but in the end, we came up just short of the points. ⚔️

👀 I had Pierre [Gasly] within a second in the first half and Yuki [Tsunoda] close behind in the second – 🏎️ no room for mistakes, no time to relax. ⏱️

❤️ I love this circuit – it’s a true driver’s track – but overtaking here is a real challenge. 🚧 We need to unlock more performance from the car, and I’m confident that development is coming. 🔧📈

Lance Stroll, Driver, Aston Martin F1 Team

Ultimately, there wasn’t much we could do today. We gave it a shot at the start, trying to gain a few positions, but it just didn’t materialize. 🚗💨

That said, it was still a valuable opportunity to learn – especially with setups for Bahrain. 🏁📊 We gathered some valuable data, and now it’s about moving forward. 🔧📈

It was just one of those tough race days – eyes ahead to next weekend. 👀⏳

Andy Cowell, CEO & Team Principal, Aston Martin F1 Team

Today’s race presented its fair share of challenges. 🚗💨 We looked to capitalize on any opportunity that came our way, but truthfully, there were very few on offer. ❌

Fernando drove a strong race 💪, our strategy team executed well 📊, and finishing eleventh was ultimately the most we could extract. 🏁

For Lance, starting further back made it incredibly tough to gain ground – especially on a track like Suzuka, where overtaking is limited. 🏎️💨

This race has shed light on several areas we need to improve. 🔧📈 It’s all part of the process – learning, building, and moving forward. ➡️ Bahrain awaits. 🌍

Visa Cash App Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar continued his impressive weekend with a points finish in eighth as New Zealand’s Liam Lawson ended the day in 17th at the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix.

Liam Lawson, Driver, VCARB F1 Team

Firstly, huge congratulations to Isack for scoring his first points in F1 today – a fantastic performance! 💥👏 As for us, it was a tough start, with lap one being particularly tricky. I went a bit wide on turn 13, and from there, it became a bit of a train. Overtaking wasn’t easy; honestly, given where we were, it would’ve been hard to make up positions. But there are definitely positives to take away from the weekend. The car felt pretty solid overall, and while it takes time to adjust, we’re making progress. It’s been a crazy few weeks and months, but I’m eager to get into a good rhythm and get back to racing. 🏎️ Next week brings a new challenge with a different style of track, so we’ll keep pushing and improving 💪!

Isack Hadjar, Driver, VCARB F1 Team

That was an intense, long, and exhausting race, but we gave it our all today, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier with how we executed the perfect strategy. Big shoutout to the team for making it happen! 💪🏽🏎️ Our target was P8, and although Lewis was out of reach, we still maximized our performance and earned this result on pure merit – no help from others’ issues. 🙌🏽

Securing my first points in F1 here in Suzuka feels amazing after such a challenging weekend. I was comfortable in the car, and the track suited me perfectly. There was almost no degradation, so I was flat out the whole time, leaving everything out there! 🌟

Now, we look ahead to Bahrain next week. I’m confident we can keep this momentum going. On to the next one! 🚀

Laurent Mekies, Team Principal, VCARB F1 Team

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team finished with Oliver Bearman in 10th place and Esteban Ocon in 18th place at the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, held Sunday at the Suzuka International Circuit.

Esteban Ocon, Driver, Haas F1 Team

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team

The 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka proved to be a relentless 53 laps, with much cooler temperatures allowing drivers to push throughout the race.

That being said, it remained a relatively uneventful Grand Prix, with few overtakes made over the course of the afternoon. However, both drivers performed notablely well. Alex Albon continued his consistent form, converting his grid slot into a ninth-place finish to extend his points-scoring run. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz made steady progress, gaining one place to finish P14.

Starting from P9, Alex held his position through a clean opening lap and cycled up the order, thanks to his clever strategy of extending his first stint longer than those ahead. Eventually, pitting from P5, Alex made well-judged overtakes on Gabriel Bortoleto, Esteban Ocon, and Liam Lawson to climb back through the field.

Managing his final stint on the hard tyres with precision, Alex brought it home in P9, adding two valuable points to the team’s tally. Points finish! 🔥

Carlos, starting from P15, had a more eventful race. An early tussle saw him lose a position to Nico Hulkenberg, but he responded quickly, reclaiming the place on lap 2. Carlos was caught in DRS trains throughout the race, making overtaking particularly tricky. Running long in the opening stint, he made his sole pit stop on lap 34, switching to a set of soft tyres.

This strategic move gave him the grip to go racing in the closing stages. As he continued to adapt to his new machinery, Carlos made overtakes on Liam Lawson, Nico Hulkenberg, and Jack Doohan, surging to P14 by the chequered flag.

Although the race may not have been full of drama, the team continues to score and adapt under changing conditions.

Alex Albon, Driver, Williams Racing

Carlos Sainz, Driver, Williams Racing

Despite a challenging race, Pierre Gasly showed his grit by sticking it out on the track, moving from P11 to P13 by the end of the race. Gasly started on New Mediums, and after a critical pit-stop on Lap 24 to switch to New Hards, he pushed hard to maintain his position. While he didn’t manage to break into the points, his fastest lap of 1:31.820 showcased his competitive edge! 🏁💪

What a race for Jack Doohan! Starting from the back in P19, he executed a smart strategy and worked his way up to finish in P15. Jack opted for New Softs at the start, making an early pit-stop on Lap 15 for a set of New Hards, which helped him gain ground. His fastest lap of 1:32.685 proves he has the pace, even when working with limited resources! 🚀🔥

Jack Doohan, Driver, Alpine F1 Team

It was good to get another full race distance under my belt 🏁 and continue to gain experience and understanding of the package 🛠️. Given our starting position, we went more aggressive with the tyre strategy with the Softs at the start, which allowed us to attack 💥 and gave us the best chance to move forward with the undercut. That also meant we ran a longer second stint on the Hard tyres [38 laps] and had to defend towards the end ⏱️. I think we did well to keep Nico [Hülkenberg] at bay, but it was a pity we could not keep Carlos [Sainz] behind on the newer Softs. It was positive to move forward on a track that’s difficult to overtake 🔄 and the race pace also felt strong despite no high fuel running. We will take a couple of days between races to rest 🛏️ and recover. I’m looking forward to going again in Bahrain 🏎️🇧🇭 where the conditions will be completely different again.

Pierre Gasly, Driver, Alpine F1 Team

It was not our race today, and there are definitely a few things for us to analyse. It felt like we did everything we could in terms of performance. The car felt good and well-balanced, and we knew where we lacked a bit of pace. It was an intense first lap, quite dicey with Fernando [Alonso] 🚗💨, and we missed out on a place there even if it was a fun battle. We lost a bit of time at the pit stop ⛽️ so we’ll review what happened there, and we know how vital track position is around here in terms of traffic and pace management 🏁. We did our best, but it was not enough to be near the points. We have a good chance next week in Bahrain 🏎️🇧🇭 where the car seemed to perform well in pre-season testing. Conditions will be different then, though, but it’s a chance to reset, and hopefully, we can come away with a much better outcome.

Oliver Oakes, Team Principal, Alpine F1 Team

It’s not been the smoothest weekend for the team here in Japan 🇯🇵. We found some reasonable steps in performance compared to the first two rounds. Still, it is not enough for us to score points, with Pierre finishing thirteenth and Jack fifteenth. Jack did a good job climbing a number of positions 📈. We go to Bahrain knowing we had a good pre-season test there 🏎️🇧🇭 and aim to continue making steps forward.

The 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix wrapped up with Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber finishing in P16 and P19 in what was a thrilling yet challenging race at the iconic Suzuka Circuit. 🌧️🏁

Despite overnight rain, the race started in dry conditions, setting the stage for another typically difficult Suzuka race known for its tough overtaking opportunities. The team opted for a split strategy, with Nico Hulkenberg starting on medium tyres while Gabriel Bortoleto began the race on hard compounds. 🔄

While Gabriel faced a tough start, slipping to the back of the grid, his recovery was impressive, showing a pace that was competitive with the lower-midfield runners. 💪 On the other hand, Nico Hulkenberg maintained a solid performance throughout the race, battling fiercely with his direct rivals from the very first lap to the final stages. 👊

In the end, both drivers crossed the finish line in a tight group of five cars, separated by just 2.6 seconds. This close battle underscores the fierce competition at the Japanese GP. 🔥

As the first triple-header of the season begins, the Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber crew can take pride in their efforts at Suzuka. The team now turns its attention to the next challenge at the Bahrain International Circuit next weekend, followed by the high-speed action of the Saudi Arabian GP. 🚗💨

Nico Hulkenberg, Driver, Kick Sauber F1 Team

The car actually felt pretty good today—I definitely would’ve liked the chance to push it a bit more. But Suzuka is one of those circuits where overtaking is really tough, and that ended up shaping the race for me. Spent most of the afternoon stuck in traffic, which made it hard to build momentum or fight forward, so it turned into a relatively quiet one out there.

Of course, that’s a bit frustrating, but we’re learning every weekend. There’s still work to do in terms of overall pace and how the car behaves, and today just highlighted that again. It’s still early days in the season, though, and we’ll keep pushing. 👊

Gabriel Bortoleto, Driver, Kick Sauber F1 Team

Of course, I was aiming for more than what we ultimately achieved—but I’m still leaving Suzuka with my head held high. It’s been a positive weekend overall, full of valuable lessons. Since Melbourne, the learning curve has been steady, and I’m feeling more confident and in control with every session.

Massive thanks to the entire team—both trackside and back in Hinwil—for their constant support. We’re all in this together, and their dedication never goes unnoticed.

Today’s race didn’t start the way I hoped; getting stuck at the back early on made recovery tough, especially on a circuit like Suzuka, where overtaking is always a challenge. But every lap taught me something new, and I’ll carry those learnings into Bahrain as we take on the second leg of this triple-header. Let’s keep pushing! 💪🇯🇵➡️🇧🇭

Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal, Kick Sauber F1 Team

💬 There are plenty of positives to take from this weekend’s race. Although Gabriel had a tough start, he showed great pace and fought back strongly. Both he and Nico held their own, keeping up with the lower midfield pack—a clear step forward in competitiveness. Nico delivered another composed and consistent performance. Considering the difficulty of overtaking at Suzuka and being caught in the DRS train behind Jack Doohan, his persistence right to the final lap was commendable. I also want to highlight the excellent teamwork and some encouraging pitstop times—we’re seeing real progress there. This is a solid way to kick off the triple-header. A big thank you to the race team on-site and everyone at the factory for their continued support and effort. Onwards and upwards. 👊