Formula 1 – Japanese Grand Prix 2024: Max Verstappen strikes back

After the world champion's surprising exit from the Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago, everyone was curious to see whether Ferrari could continue to put pressure on the Red Bull team and thus increase the tension in the world championship. For now, the Italian team is suffering a slight setback. The “red bulls” dominate the race in Suzuka. The race begins with a real bang: At the start of the Grand Prix, drivers Alexander Albon and Daniel Ricciardo collide in the second corner - red flag and a half-hour interruption to the race. Then it continues in the usual pattern: Verstappen drives in front, the others behind. The only team that can keep up with Red Bull is the “Reds”, Ferrari. Afterwards, McLaren and Aston Martin fight each other. Somewhere in between, Mercedes is fighting to maintain its acceptance. The past years of dominance of Hamilton on Mercedes in Formula 1is now leading to ridicule and malice from opponents and fans in view of the German team's modest results . Lewis Hamilton, who wants to drive for Ferrari next year, no longer seems very motivated to me and is letting stablemate George Russell pass him by. And if Fernando Alonso had a stronger teammate than Lance Stroll, Aston Martin would be in a better position. Due to the one-sided awarding of points based on only 10 driver positions, the drivers and teams behind can share the zeros. A more even distribution of points would make the entire competition in Formula 1 more exciting. At least there are currently 5 capable teams competing for the championship. The next races in China, the USA, Italy and Monaco are so different that the story can turn to a different page at each race. Only one thing is certain: Red Bull and Ferrari are both at the forefront.