McLaren remains the team to beat in Formula 1, but Max Verstappen’s victorious drive for Red Bull at the Japanese Grand Prix Sunday proves only excellence is good enough. 2nd and 3rd placed Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri still have the fastest all-round car for McLaren on the F1 grid.

For the first time this Formula 1 season, a McLaren will not start on pole position for a Grand Prix. Max Verstappen surprised the grid, and himself, by snatching pole position ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen wins the Japanese Grand Prix ahead of Lando Norris with a superb drive from pole, as Kimi Antonelli breaks two records