Why the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix wasn’t boring

The 2025 Japanese Grand Prix wasn’t a thriller. However to say it was boring would do an injustice not solely to the race itself, however to one of many best performances by one of many best drivers in F1 historical past.

It wasn’t a race F1 would win new followers with. Absolutely, for somebody who occurred to activate the TV (is that also a factor?) early Sunday morning in Europe, or very late on Saturday night time within the US, and noticed an F1 race for the primary time, it wouldn’t have been one to get them hooked.

However for many who have adopted F1 for years, this race had one thing to supply. Not an overtaking fest, however a masterclass drive from one of many sport’s greats.

Perfection is usually boring, however understanding the context, it absolutely wasn’t a stroll within the park for Max Verstappen. Holding off two sooner vehicles for 53 laps is one thing maybe solely he might do – and doing it with seeming ease made it all of the extra spectacular.

No, Suzuka isn’t one of the best observe for overtaking – however is it not possible to cross? No. One lock-up might need been all Lando Norris wanted to get shut and launch an assault. But Verstappen was flawless.

In fact, it wasn’t Imola 2005 yet again. Norris wasn’t glued to the rear wing of Verstappen’s Pink Bull, nor was he consistently switching strains attempting to impress a mistake. McLaren was by no means shut sufficient to actually get excited a couple of wheel-to-wheel battle. However it nonetheless was a chase from begin to end – with an added bonus within the type of the pit exit struggle.

Typically we now have to decide on what to moan about.

Isn’t it frequent to lengthy for the previous days when drivers might push flat out from begin to end? Isn’t preserving old-school tracks on the F1 calendar a frequent level of nostalgia amongst true followers? Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix – with cooler temperatures that successfully eradicated tyre degradation and allowed drivers to not fear about rubber administration – was precisely that. In some methods, it was a race for “true” F1 followers.

And what concerning the vehicles being the dominant issue within the end result? It’s completely true which you can’t win in F1 with out a good automotive – however Suzuka was a reminder that driver expertise nonetheless counts. Typically it’s even sufficient to beat sooner vehicles.

Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing

Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures

Would such a win be doable at different tracks? Most likely not. If the identical situation performs out this weekend in Bahrain, Max might not be capable to dangle on. Absolutely, Norris – and doubtless Oscar Piastri too – would have had a greater probability to cross Verstappen someplace like Austin with its lengthy again straight.

However finally, would two DRS passes have made the Japanese GP any extra spectacular? That relies upon, in fact, on how fiercely Max would’ve defended – and he’s not somebody who provides up simply – but when Suzuka’s format had allowed extra overtaking, we’d’ve seen a McLaren one-two. And that might’ve been boring, for positive!

A lot has been mentioned concerning the race being selected Saturday – and the ending order, which largely mirrored qualifying, confirms that. However even when that’s true, it solely makes Verstappen’s win extra spectacular. As a result of if the race was received because of a 0.012s margin – with the Dutchman delivering a very gorgeous lap – that’s peak F1. The highest three on Saturday had been break up by simply 0.044s. How is that not spectacular?

What it exhibits is that final pace nonetheless issues in F1. Had Verstappen been a fraction slower on his ultimate lap in qualifying, he wouldn’t have left Suzuka with only a one-point hole to Norris within the standings. And arguably, there’s extra to have a good time about this race than complain about: the higher driver received on what’s extensively hailed as a ‘drivers’ observe’.

The reality is, F1 received’t at all times ship a spectacle when it comes to overtakes. There will likely be uninteresting races, it doesn’t matter what guidelines are launched. However that’s true of any sport. Nonetheless, is each 0–0 between prime soccer groups routinely extra boring than a goal-fest within the decrease leagues? The great thing about elite sport lies in stress too – and there was loads of that in Suzuka on Sunday.

Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing

Picture by: Peter Fox – Getty Pictures

In any case, if it was solely about spectacle, Moto3 would have already overtaken each different motorsport in rankings.

Certain, the 2025 Japanese GP wasn’t one of the best race ever. However it was one to recollect, because of Verstappen. He’s contributed to his justifiable share of processional races, pulling away from the pack and cruising to the end. However his drive in Suzuka was one thing else. If something, it was one of many best particular person athletic performances. And in case you add the workforce effort – delivering a automotive able to combating the McLarens on Saturday and executing the right technique on Sunday – it turns into much more particular.

And Suzuka… Effectively, perhaps it’s not trendy sufficient to permit correct wheel-to-wheel racing within the large F1 vehicles of at this time. However that’s no motive to name Hermann Tilke for some corners to be redesigned. The F1 world championship has 24 races on 24 totally different tracks, and if a couple of of them nonetheless reward an excellent lap in qualifying, that’s not a foul factor.

In any case, there’s little doubt that a lot of those that turned on their TVs particularly to observe this Grand Prix didn’t stroll away disillusioned.