By 
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the rain-shortened Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday (October 9) to secure his second consecutive Formula One title after his closest competitor Charles Leclerc was penalised post-race.
Verstappen started the race from the pole position on Sunday.
He was beaten off the line by Leclerc in the wet, but he went wheel-to-wheel with the Ferrari over the first two turns, spray flowing behind them, and reclaimed the lead.
Several car accidents brought out the safety car before the first lap could be finished, and a rescue vehicle put on the circuit caused concern when Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri flew past.
The race was called off on the second lap due to weather conditions, and it resumed with a rolling start after a two-hour delay.
Verstappen, on the other hand, vanished into the distance and was recorded as finishing 27 seconds ahead of his teammate.
Verstappen crossed the finish line ahead of the Ferrari driver, who finished a distant second behind the other Red Bull driver, Sergio Perez.
However, the Monegasque had five seconds added to his racing time for cutting across the penultimate chicane on the final lap, dropping him to third place.
After the race, there was some debate about whether lowered points under new rules introduced this year would apply with the race having reached little over halfway.
As a result, Verstappen gives Japan a 113-point lead over Perez, who now goes into second place overall. To be proclaimed champion on Sunday, he required at least a 112-point advantage over his nearest competitor.
Verstappen’s victory in Japan was his 12th in as many races. With four races remaining, the Dutchman is on track to break Michael Schumacher’s and Sebastian Vettel’s record of 13 wins in a season.
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