Red Bull took their first win of the 2025 F1 season as Max Verstappen won the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

Having narrowly outqualified the McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to take pole position in qualifying, Verstappen was able to keep the duo at arms length.

Verstappen’s victory was his fourth Japanese Grand Prix win in a row, making him the first driver to ever win four F1 races at Suzuka in a row, with the Dutchman taking his first win since winning in Qatar in the final stages of last season.

It was a trickier debut race in Red Bull for Yuki Tsunoda, as the Japanese driver finished his home race in 12th position in his first race after replacing Liam Lawson as Verstappen’s team-mate in the two week break since F1’s last race in China.

After surprisingly McLaren pair Norris and Piastri to qualify on pole for the Japanese Grand Prix, Verstappen was able to keep the McLaren’s at arms length in the opening stages of the race.

Both Verstappen and Norris pitted on the same lap, with Norris going onto the grass to try to pass Verstappen in the exit of the pit lane after the McLaren had a faster stop. The case was reviewed by the stewards, who opted to give no penalty.

As the race continued, the two McLarens hassled and harried Verstappen, with both getting within two seconds of the Red Bull. But neither one could manage to get close enough on Verstappen to try and make a challenge to win the race, allowing Verstappen to hold on and win.

After three races and one sprint of the 2025 season, Verstappen sits second in the Driver’s Championship as he pursues a fifth straight title. The Dutchman has 61 points, one behind early leader Norris in the McLaren and 12 ahead of Piastri.

Tsunoda was unable to add to the 3 points he picked up in his time at Racing Bulls. After disappointment in qualifying saw him start the race from 14th position, he had been able to make an early move to get past Lawson in the Racing Bulls.

Although Tsunoda was able to get ahead of former team-mate Pierre Gasly, he was unable to make the move on Alonso or Ollie Bearman to pick up a point on debut.

In the Constructor’s Championship in the early phase of the campaign, Red Bull are third, with the team on 61 points. They are 16 points above fourth place Ferrari, 14 points behind second place Mercedes and 50 behind early leaders McLaren.

Verstappen will be chasing back-to-back wins when F1 returns next weekend at the Bahrain Grand Prix.