‘In that car you wouldn’t have even seen me’

Max Verstappen has quipped that if he was driving McLaren’s Formulation 1 automotive “then you definitely wouldn’t have seen me” regardless of his dominant pole and victory on the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Pink Bull driver took his fourth consecutive win at Suzuka, heading off each McLaren drivers within the grand prix on Sunday after securing a shocking pole place on Saturday, which accomplished a outstanding turnaround having appeared off the tempo on Friday.

“After I got here right here, I did not anticipate to win right here in any respect – and after Friday, under no circumstances,” Verstappen stated to Viaplay after the race.

“Beginning on pole was a very powerful factor this weekend. McLaren I feel was sooner, however they could not get into the DRS to make a transfer.”

Requested for his response to the victory and whether or not the win was completely all the way down to the driving force, Verstappen responded light-heartedly: “I am very proud of what I am doing, I do not even wish to give it some thought if I would been in that different automotive [McLaren]. Then you definately would not have seen me.”

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing

Photograph by: Clive Mason/Getty Photographs

Verstappen was then fast to name it a workforce effort with Pink Bull having unlocked extra tempo from the RB21 automotive.

“In the long run it is at all times a workforce that works effectively collectively, with GP [Gianpiero Lambiase] and this weekend I additionally had one other efficiency engineer, Hugh Chook,” he stated. “I labored with him till the tip of 2020 as effectively and that really went rather well.

“In the long run, we made the correct decisions earlier than we went into qualifying. If you happen to take heed to the onboards, it runs very easily between me and GP. These are issues which are essential although.”

Regardless of his first breakthrough win in 2025, Verstappen was additionally fast to mood expectations heading into the following spherical in Bahrain only one level behind Lando Norris on the prime of the drivers’ standings.

“This was an ideal consequence, but it surely was tough to overhaul and qualifying was essential right here,” he stated.

“This doesn’t imply that the whole lot is now abruptly hosanna and that we’re going to win all of the races, however we could be very proud of this.”

Three components that helped Pink Bull

Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing

Photograph by: Mario Renzi – Formulation 1 – Getty Photographs

Verstappen detailed three essential components that aided Pink Bull within the Japanese GP: the distinction between clear and soiled air, low tyre put on on the brand new observe floor and decrease temperatures – a notable change given the earlier Pink Bull vehicles would typically carry out stronger relative to rivals in scorching circumstances.

“You may see that on the finish of a stint they had been getting nearer once more and attempting to assault, as a result of my tyres had been getting a bit too scorching then,” he defined.

“I feel it helped us that it was a bit colder immediately, so we had much less overheating of the tyres – that’s nonetheless an issue for us.

“Plenty of quick corners and that makes it very laborious to observe – the tyres get very popular while you get near somebody.

“The vehicles get higher yearly as effectively, with plenty of soiled air, so it simply will get tougher and tougher. When the lap instances are fairly shut collectively with out plenty of tyre degradation, then it turns into very tough.”

Pictures from Japanese GP – Race