Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won a rain-shortened 2022 Japanese Grand Prix and the Formula One world championship but, as usual with Verstappen, not until after some controversy when some point-earning confusion was clarified as the shortened race was expected to count for fewer points awarded – but was not.
The race is now on for second and third in the Formula 1 driver’s standings as Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate collected second place over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Leclerc’s Ferrari teammate, Carlos Sainz, Jr., crashed out of the race early while the Mercedes duo of seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, both finished in the Top 10 and gained points on Sainz, Jr.
After Verstappen, that leaves Perez with 253 points, Leclerc with 252, Russell with 207, Sainz, Jr. with 202 and Hamilton with 180.
2022 Japanese Grand Prix Top 10 Finishers
1] Max Verstappen Red Bull 3:01:44.004
2] Sergio Pérez Red Bull +27.066s
3] Charles Leclerc Ferrari +31.763s
4] Esteban Ocon Alpine +39.685s
5] Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +40.326s
6] Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +46.358s
7] Fernando Alonso Alpine +46.369s
8] George Russell Mercedes +47.661s
9] N. Latifi Williams +70.143s
10] Lando Norris McLaren +70.782s
