The Red Bull driver comfortably beat his teammate Sergio Pérez into second place at Suzuka, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in third. Verstappen had held his lead through turns one and two, but behind him Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon tangled on entering turn three, leaving both in the wall and the race was red flagged immediately. He and Pérez immediately began extending their lead, with over two seconds on Norris by lap four. Verstappen also swiftly put his teammate under the cosh, setting a series of fastest laps to have dropped Pérez by a further two seconds by lap six. He was once more leading with ease within the opening ten laps, enjoying four seconds on Pérez as the opening round of pit stops began. Pérez pitted on lap 15, with Verstappen covering him off a lap later, while Hamilton who had been left out long by Mercedes, was losing places on the worn rubber. Verstappen resumed in second, behind Leclerc who had yet to pit, while Norris managed to pass Pérez through the stops. Verstappen duly passed Leclerc to retake the lead on lap 21 on the drop down to turn one and Pérez managed to claw back second from Norris on lap 23. With first stops shaken out, Verstappen still held a seven second lead over his teammate, an advantage of ten seconds by lap 29.

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