Max Verstappen has been crowned world champion for a second successive year in bizarre circumstances after winning the Japanese Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver went into the race aware that he would retain his title if he prevailed at Suzuka and recorded the fastest lap.
However, while that proved to be the case, there was a belief in the paddock that a shortened race due to a first-lap crash and heavy rain would not lead to full points being awarded.
Unbeknownst to Verstappen and his rivals, a previous rule had been changed where full points would only be awarded when a race had been 75% completed, that now not applying and the Dutchman receiving the full 26 points that he required.
Verstappen initially discovered that he was a two-time world champion during a television interview, yet that will not take away from his achievements throughout this campaign.
Mr. Two-Time World Champion 🧡🧡 pic.twitter.com/Iclw2fuud4
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) October 9, 2022
Victory on Sunday was his 12th of the season, nine more than anyone else, and he holds a 113-point lead over teammate Sergio Perez.
Despite an opening-lap incident where race control was widely condemned for deploying a recovery vehicle while cars were still racing, the race was relatively uneventful after its resumption.
Verstappen would win by 27 seconds, with Perez being promoted to second after Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was handed a five-second penalty after the race for running wide at the final chicane.
Esteban Ocon finished fourth in the Alpine, marginally ahead of legendary trio Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso.
In terms of the standings, Perez is one point ahead of Leclerc, with the pair now 45 points clear of fourth-placed George Russell.
Darren Plant
