Formula 1: World champion for the 2nd season in a row Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen is Formula 1 champion for the second season in a row! The Red Bull driver dominated an eventful race at Suzuka, Japan, which was interrupted by rain and an accident at the start for 2 hours 15 minutes and lasted just over 40 minutes in the end.
This was Verstappen’s 32nd career win and twelfth this year.

The penalty handed out (5 seconds) to Charles Leclerc at the end of the race gave Verstappen and mathematically the title, as it was decided to award all the points to the drivers (even though 75% of the race was not completed) as it continued and was completed , despite the long hiatus! Second finished Sergio Perez, also with Red Bull, while third was Leclerc with Ferrari, who… paid for the unorthodox way he kept the “Czech” behind him just before the finish.

The rated ten were completed, in order, by Ocon, Hamilton, Vettel, Alonso, Russell, Latifi and Norris. There are now four Grand Prix left, with the next one taking place on October 23 in Austin, Texas, USA.

The race started episodically, since the rain was torrential and at the start Carlos Sainz lost control of the Ferrari ending up in the barriers, while Alexander Albon also retired for mechanical reasons.

Visibility was… minimal, especially for the cars that were at the back and the risk was high, resulting in the red flag. Before the safety car came in and safely guided the cars to the pits, a crane entered the track, which provoked strong reactions from the drivers and teams, recalling the tragic death of Gilles Bianchi on the same track and under the same conditions on 5 October of 2015.

The match was stopped and its restart was constantly postponed, until finally the green light was given two hours after the stoppage! However, with only 45 minutes left until the race cut-off (11:00 Greek time), it was questionable whether all the points would be awarded, as there was no time to complete 75% of the race’s laps.

Verstappen, who had withstood Leclerc’s “attack” at the start and before the stoppage, retained his position. He led the Top 5 drivers almost immediately after the restart in the pits to fit the medium tire and then the world champion defended his position to take another victory.

Leclerc finally had to fight to keep second place and leave Peres behind him at the finish line. But after the five-second penalty imposed on him, Verstappen mathematically took the championship!

The great winner made his first statements unaware of Leclerc’s penalty, but as his placement was complete, the confirmation from the stewards and the necessary TV visuals for his coronation appeared, four races before the end of the season.

sport-fm.gr

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