Max Verstappen clinched his second world championship title in last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
In the 73rd running of the world championship he is the 17th driver to become a multiple champion. He is the eighth of those to win his first two titles consecutively. The others are Alberto Ascari, Jack Brabham, Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen and Verstappen’s current rivals Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel.Only three other drivers successfully defended titles during their careers: Lewis Hamilton, Ayrton Senna and Juan Manuel Fangio.
He sealed the title with his 12th win of the year, leaving him one shy of equalling the all-time record, with four races remaining. He won three of those rounds last year, at Circuit of the Americas, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and Yas Marina.
It was fitting for Verstappen to clinch his second title at Suzuka, the track where he started his first practice session eight years earlier. It delivered the first win for a team other than Mercedes at this circuit since the V6 turbo hybrid era began in 2014.
For the first time in more than a decade, the world championship was decided in Japan. However the country has seen more title-deciding races than any other. This was its 14th, 12 of which occured at Suzuka, plus one at TI Aida in 1995 (the Pacific Grand Prix) and Japan’s first world championship race at Fuji in 1976.
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As well as equalling Alonso’s tally of world championships, Verstappen also drew level with him in terms of victories. They both have 32 and are tied for sixth place on the all-time list. Alonso was the only driver other than Verstappen to officially lead a lap of Sunday’s race. It was the first time he’s headed the field since last year’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
The race’s fastest lap was decided by an even slimmer margin. Zhou Guanyu took the first of his career by one-thousandth of a second from Alonso. As was the case for George Russell last weekend, Zhou didn’t earn the bonus point which comes with it because he didn’t finish inside the top 10.
The was the 15th time Alfa Romeo has set a fastest lap in F1, and their first in almost four decades. The last driver to set the fastest lap in an Alfa Romeo was Andrea de Cesaris in the 1983 Belgian Grand Prix.
Leclerc’s post-race penalty promoted Sergio Perez to second place and ensured Red Bull’s fifth one-two finish of the season. Perez also moved back ahead of Leclerc into second place in the championship.
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Esteban Ocon took fourth, delivered the best result of the season for himself and his Alpine team. Sebastian Vettel equalled Aston Martin’s best finish of the year in sixth, while Nicholas Latifi took his first points for more than a year with ninth for Williams on his Suzuka debut.
It also meant this was officially the slowest race ever held. Verstappen won in three hours, one minutes and 44.004 seconds, an average speed of just 53.583 kph for the 28 laps. The previous record was set at the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix, which Jenson Button won at an average speed of 74.864kph. The slowest race which did not feature such a stoppage was the third-slowest of all time, Fangio’s win in the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix, averaging 98.701kph for the 100 laps.
Have you spotted any other interesting stats and facts from the Japanese Grand Prix? Share them in the comments.
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bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
11th October 2022, 18:18
Only three other drivers successfully defended titles during their careers: Lewis Hamilton, Ayrton Senna and Juan Manuel Fangio. Am I missing something here? Alonso, Prost, Vettel, Hakkinen, Schumacher. Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?
The slowest speed record is incredible – yes it was a wet truncated race, bit considering what Ascari & Fangio used to drive compared to today, there’s quite a difference.
Kyle (@hammerheadgb)
11th October 2022, 18:24
@bernasaurus
Had to re-read that myself, the meaning intended is that:
Eight drivers have won their first two championships back-to-back
Only three others have successfully defended a title (having not debuted with a back-to-back)
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
11th October 2022, 18:32
@hammerheadgb Ahhhh…. thank you. I’m on my second glass of wine. I should have been able to figure that out for myself. *It might have taken a while though. Thanks :-)
Julian Goddard (@juliangoddard)
11th October 2022, 18:26
This is definitely the first time someone has won a world championship and the very next day their team has been accused of using a car developed by violating the budget cap.
Broccoliface
11th October 2022, 19:50
Obsessed
hyoko
11th October 2022, 22:15
It is also the first time someone has won a WDC and the very next day it was October 10th, 2022 CE.
MCG (@malrg)
12th October 2022, 6:58
Ha Ha, I like you
Pat Pepper
11th October 2022, 18:32
At Suzuka, Hamilton was the first Commonwealth driver across the line for the 200th time. No other Commonwealth driver has achieved the feat even 100 times (Mansell is next on the list having been the leading Commonwealth driver on 84 occasions).
M
11th October 2022, 22:53
Asked after the race how he felt about it Lewis replied: “I’m in the pink”
Kai (@kai0143)
11th October 2022, 18:46
If I’m not mistaken, every 11 years the WDC is decided at Suzuka (if it was present in the calendar):
2022 – Verstappen
2011 – Vettel
2000 – Schumacher
1989 – Prost
The Japanese GP wasn’t hed in 1978, wasn’t part of the Championship in 1967 and didn’t happen yet in 1956.
koray
11th October 2022, 19:55
you forgot 2003
JohnNik (@johnnik)
12th October 2022, 18:58
He didn’t say exclusively.
jff
11th October 2022, 22:18
Who will win in 2033?
Andy (@andycz)
12th October 2022, 6:10
1999 Hakkinen
1998 Hakkinen
…
Jonathan Parkin
11th October 2022, 18:52
Of course if we just exclude the stoppage, the race was only about 50 minutes or so, more or less the same length of time as Jenson Button’s win in Malaysia in 2009
And why do we only give out the Fastest Lap point if you finish in the Top 10. Makes a bit of a mockery of it
Bob
11th October 2022, 19:07
It makes sence in a way. If for instance one point would diside the championship, drivers would go for the fastest lap instead of racing each other. So you need to race to get the extra point.
Robert
11th October 2022, 19:08
When the point was introduced, the thinking was it should not be something you aim for specifically, just a bonus reward to whoever happen to get it. Otherwise, if a slower team know they are not going to do well overall in the race, they could set their car up to do just one fast lap to get that point and then retire or drive slowly to the finish.
SteveP
11th October 2022, 19:37
Because points mean prizes.
It took an inordinately long time to start the process of crowbarring the mega money away from Ferrari – money they were paid simply for being Ferrari.
Would you expect top teams to happily give up a million or so because some upstart team had the temerity to pit and stick on brand new soft tyres to grab a single point on the last lap?
Keir
12th October 2022, 4:11
See the finale of the second Formula E season to see why this rule exists. Buemi and di Grassi essentially had a fastest lap shootout at the back of the race for the championship. Sit in the pits, come out into free air, pit again, try again. It was very silly!
frood19 (@frood19)
12th October 2022, 6:57
That sounds kinda of cool in a way. You got two races for the price of one.
Sam
12th October 2022, 12:06
To be fair, this only happened because they took each other out the race on lap one.
SteveP
11th October 2022, 19:49
It’s the first time a driver has been named WDC back to back where strong doubts were expressed about the validity of the results.
Doubts which were easily confirmed by reading the rules.
Last year, Masi couldn’t (or wouldn’t) apply the SC rules properly.
This year the race finished one lap early and in such circumstances race positions are taken from the chequered flag -1 lap. That would put Perez back in 3rd and Leclerc in 2nd, so the WDC continues to the USA.
That would give Max a chance for some celebratory doughnuts on the track.
Hosford90
12th October 2022, 5:39
Your opinions aren’t stats or facts. That’s not how this works.
Señor Sjon
12th October 2022, 9:37
There is a Disney Frozen song 4 year olds love and is very applicable. Aka, let it go.
Keith Campbell (@keithedin)
12th October 2022, 11:14
The race didn’t finish a lap early though, it finished correctly according to the rulebook. It was explained in an article on here but there are different rules for the end of the 2 hour race limit and the end of the 3 hour limit from the first race start (when there is a delay).
Picasso 1.9D FTW (@picasso-19d-ftw)
11th October 2022, 21:39
It’s not a record of any sort, and not really altered by this race, but whilst Max has (again) matched Charles for poles, it’s telling that this year he has a higher rate of converting Leclerc poles into wins (5 from 9, 56%) than Leclerc has (2 from 9). Not far from Verstappen’s conversation rate for his own poles (4 from 7, 57%). I suspect the latter figure may yet increase.
M
11th October 2022, 22:58
I wonder how things might have gone if they had had Schumi’s Bridgestones?
Picasso 1.9D FTW (@picasso-19d-ftw)
12th October 2022, 12:33
Maybe they should let Mick use them…
sethje (@seth-space)
11th October 2022, 23:00
Schumacher passed the line before verstappen passed him. Technically schumacher lead the race at that moment.
A first in his career ( and possibly a last)
Andy (@andycz)
12th October 2022, 6:11
But he didn’t complete the lap.
MacLeod (@macleod)
12th October 2022, 7:49
For the lead you don’t have to complete a lap. There is a other stats Laps while leading the race (Which Schumacher doesn’t qualify) This is taking the lead stat I think …
KaIIe (@kaiie)
12th October 2022, 15:42
Also, Alonso passed the timing line while in the pitlane in the lead.
paulgilb (@paulgilb)
11th October 2022, 23:11
Second time this year (after Hungary) where Williams have been fined for a tyre-related infringement in practice and Gasly has been forced to start from the pit-lane due to a set-up change.
First time this season that a driver from outside Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes has led a lap.
First time Verstappen has led a lap at Suzuka.
Leclerc has received a post-race penalty in both his races for Ferrari at Suzuka.
First time Red Bull have managed five 1-2 finishes in one season (2009, 2010 and 2013 all saw 4).
The last 4 races have seen Leclerc classified 1 place lower than he started.
6th time Ocon has started 5th since his return to the grid in 2020 without starting higher.
Ocon has already scored more points in 2022 than he managed in the whole of 2021 (a season which included a win).
Every driver who completed lap 1 finished the race on the lead lap.
Vettel and Verstappen both clinched their 2nd title, a year after their first, at Japan on 9th October, with 4 races left in the season.
Third Japanese GP to be red-flagged (following 1994 and 2014). In each case the driver who was eventually classified 3rd did not take the chequered flag in that position.
Thanks to statsf1 and the official F1 site for some of these.
Hosford90
12th October 2022, 5:42
“Third Japanese GP to be red-flagged (following 1994 and 2014). In each case the driver who was eventually classified 3rd did not take the chequered flag in that position.”
That stat is incredible and true yeah, because of the old aggregate system in 94 and the countback after the red flag in 14 switching Vettel and Ricciardo.
Unfortunately it’s not the most obvious 94-14-22 parallel.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
12th October 2022, 4:38
Just like Vettel, Verstappen won both their first two titles in a Red Bull. Just like Vettel, Verstappen won the first one in Abu Dhabi and the second one in Japan.
Verstappen to Ferrari 2026 confirm.
MCG (@malrg)
12th October 2022, 6:59
Judging by how far Max was ahead the rest of the field were driving at 53.583 kph.
Señor Sjon
12th October 2022, 9:39
Verstappen from starting the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021, as not ever being World Champion, to finishing the Japanese Grand Prix of 2022 and becoming two time World Champion: 301 days
Schumacher from starting the Australian Grand Prix, as not ever being World Champion, in 1994 to finishing the Pacific Grand Prix of 1995 and becoming two time World Champion: 388 days
pieter
12th October 2022, 10:06
The average speed of the race was lower than the bicycle world hour record set the day before the race at 56.792km/h
pieter
12th October 2022, 10:07
The average speed of the race was lower than the bicycle world hour record set the day before the race at @ 56.792km/h;
Jere (@jerejj)
12th October 2022, 11:12
Seb kept his 100% Q3 appearance record in Japan (he also reached Q3 in both Fuji events) throughout his F1 racing career.
The second time Mika Salo was the driver steward for the Japanese GP & on both occasions, rain hit on race day & a recovery vehicle was involved questionably.
Leclerc’s rapidly-made penalty call was similar to Max’s in the 2016 Mexican & 2017 US GPs.
The second consecutive race (& third for this season) without reaching the full scheduled race distance & the first time in Suzuka since the fateful 2014 race. Additionally, a chequered flag error like in 2019.
The second consecutive race without anyone getting the bonus point. Possibly also the smallest margin ever at 0.001 sec.
The first race without any dry tyre running since the 2020 Turkish GP.
The second consecutive race without lap time invalidation, albeit not the second successive event, as Albon lost one lap time in Q1.
David (@nvherman)
12th October 2022, 15:25
@jerejj
What about Belgium 2021?
Jere (@jerejj)
12th October 2022, 16:24
@nvherman I discount that race, but more specifically, first proper or actual race.
Sam
12th October 2022, 12:12
Verstappen equaling the wins of Alonso is pretty incredible. Neither driver had periods of having the dominant car for a significant length of time but Alonso has been around for a lot longer. And yes, Verstappen should lose his championship if Red Bull cheated, no matter how good he is.
Qeki (@qeki)
12th October 2022, 15:46
As Latifi scored 2 points Verstappen has now 1923.5 points (4th overall)
Latifi has now total of 9 points (Kazuki Nakajima and Jolyon Palmer and 6 other drivers have 9 points)
One of them is Lee Wallard who won the 1951 Indy 500 and scored those nine points in that race.
It would take a lot for Latifi to catch Max’s dad Jos who has 17 points but it is not impossible as there are 4 rounds left.
This is a bit odd one but Alonso has scored points in Renault, Mclaren, Ferrari and Alpine (=Renault). Next year he will be driving for Aston Martin and if he scores at least 1 point he tecnichally has scored points for 5 different constructors. Only driver to have done that is Sterling Moss (Cooper, Lotus, Maserati, Mercedes and Vanwall)
More of Alonso. Next year he will be the only F1 driver to reach a total of 20 seasons of racing.
Barrichello, Schumacher and Raikkonen are all on 19.
Hamilton will start his 17th season next year.
This was Red Bull Powertrains (feels weird to say it that way) 14th win and they are now 10th in all time list. With a win % of 77.78 (1st)
RBPT has now led 601 laps (13th)
This was 16th time for a car number 1 to win the title.
Mathias
13th October 2022, 10:25
>an average speed of just 53.583 kph for the 28 laps
i go faster with my 50cc scooter, pretty cool for me
Mathias
13th October 2022, 10:27
can somebody check if MSC in the Haas led a lap at suzuka? I was not sure during the live event