RB's Yuki Tsunoda became the first Japanese driver to score points in his home since 2012, finishing 10th Sunday in Suzuka.
Amid a fresh Red Bull 1-2, hometown hero Yuki Tsunoda stamped his class as the best of the rest so far in the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Tsunoda became the first Japanese driver to score points in the Japanese Grand Prix since 2012, finishing 10th Sunday in Suzuka.
After a breakthrough P7 in Australia in March, Yuki retained his qualifying position of 10th in his home race, making it back-to-back point-producing results.
The RB driver now sits just outside the top-10 in the driver standings, his seven points good for 11th.
After a rare DNF in Australia, Max Verstappen returned to his winning ways in Japan for his 57th Grand Prix victory. His Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez finished second, their third 1-2 finish of the year.
Including Ferrari’s 1-2 in Alberta Park, it’s the first time in Formula 1 history that the first four races finished with a 1-2 from the same teams.
Carlos Sainz finished P3, making it three podiums in all three races he started this season. Charles Leclerc was fourth, while McLaren’s Lando Norris was P5.
Fernando Alonso, George Russell, Oscar Piastri, and Lewis Hamilton finished 6-9, ahead of Tsunoda.
Verstappen increased his lead in the world championship race to 13 points, after entering Sunday’s race only up four. Max has 77 points powered by three race wins, with Perez regaining second place with 64. Leclerc drops back to third with 59 points.
In the Constructors’ race, Red Bull leads Ferrari for first, 141-120. McLaren is third with 69 points.