Max Verstappen goes for his first success of the year in Japan

The Dutch will try to stop in Suzuka a string without successes from the start of the season that did not live since 2020. Can it?

Probably Max Verstappen will have been glad to wake up in Suzuka and see through the window that rained. It was not a downpour, but a drizzle that wet the asphalt. Heaven may have sent him the necessary blessing to be able to defend himself from the onslaught that the powerful McLaren will raise, much more competitive cars than his Red Bull. Of course, four hours were missing for competition and the drizzle ceased in the absence of two and a half hours. With a dry floor, Max’s company in the GP of Japan seems complicated, third date of the season, despite its dream return in the classification that earned it pole position.

Perhaps, the possibility of tetracampeón grows by the fight between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, McLaren’s companions. In the Woking team they have the alternative to bet on two different strategies and thus ensure success. The account is clear: they are two against one, because Yuki Tsunoda starts from the 14th drawer. But for that, the Popes of the English team should sacrifice one of its runners and none will accept that conviction, because both want to win the World Cup. If they fight between them …

Beyond strategies and plans, Verstappen will seek in Suzuka his first success of the year to cut with his worst start of the season since 2020. In that, shaken by the pandemic, the Dutch had to wait until the fifth appointment (70 anniversary GP in Silverstone) to get his first success of the tournament. Since then, and coinciding with his domain years, he always won one of the two initial appointments, or both, as in 2024. In this 2025, the Red Bull driver arrived at the third and still did not celebrate. Suzuka fell very well to get it: he won in the last three editions of the Japan GP. The cards are thrown.