Relive how Verstappen won second title amid high drama

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Max Verstappen cliched a second title in extraordinary circumstances after dominating a Japanese Grand Prix truncated by heavy rain.

Verstappen headed Sergio Perez in a Red Bull one-two after Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who crossed the line second, was penalised for cutting the track and gaining an advantage on the last lap.

There was confusion after the race as to whether Verstappen had done enough to tie up the championship, because it was not immediately clear whether full points would be awarded for a race that ran just over half distance.

But governing body the FIA said that reduced points only applied if a suspended race could not be resumed.

Even Verstappen asked: "Are you sure?" when he was told he was champion, reflecting the historical precedent that reduced points are awarded in such circumstances.

But it seems that this protocol was inadvertently left out of the rules when they were rewritten over last winter following the controversial Belgian Grand Prix, when a result was declared despite no racing taking place.

There can, however, be no question marks about the validity of Verstappen's championship, after he secured his 12th victory of the season in the same manner as he has taken control of the championship, by being a class apart from everyone else in his Red Bull car.

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Sebastian Vettel on the incidents during the race: "I'm pleased it's a great result, scored some points and capitalised on the conditions.

"I think, what counts today is Carlos is fine, we had a very strange circumstance and nothing happened, we got away with it.

"After what happened today, there's lot if things that happened to lead to this. The whole grid were on the wrong tyres.

"That needs to be improved, we are not able to race when there's water on the track. We know this for years.

"But this lead to a crash with Carlos, visibility is close to none following with the spray. We're lucky that nothing happened and we need to make sure it must not happen.

"The tractor shouldn't have been there. The guys that drive the tractor, they get a command I suppose? A lot of things we need to learn from and understand. Today we were just lucky."

Seven-time winners

Sir Lewis Hamilton: 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017 2018, 2019, 2020

Michael Schumacher: 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004

Five-time winners

Juan Manuel Fangio:1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957

Four-time winners

Sebastian Vettel:2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

Alain Prost: 1985, 1986, 1989, 1993

Three-time winners

Ayrton Senna: 1988, 1990, 1991

Nelson Piquet:1981, 1983, 1987

Niki Lauda: 1975, 1977, 1984

Sir Jackie Stewart: 1969, 1971, 1973

Sir Jack Brabham:1959, 1960, 1966

Two-time winners

Max Verstappen: 2021, 2022

Fernando Alonso: 2005, 2006

Mika Hakkinen: 1998, 1999

Emerson Fittipaldi: 1972, 1974

Jim Clark: 1963, 1965

Graham Hill: 1962, 1968

Alberto Ascari:1952, 1953

KW: Regardless of who you support, this is a sorry period for F1. Fans are being driven away by so many awful decisions, penalties, lack of consistency etc and a lack of leadership. Not to mention replacing actual racing racks with soulless tracks.

Rob Hill: Big congratulations to Max Verstappen for being handed the world title via obviously incorrect officiating two years running. Impressive.

Sergio Perez, along with Lando Norris, was one of the first drivers to express their disbelief at what was happening out on track with the crane and marshals and the Mexican driver adds that this is "the lowest point we've seen in the sport in years" while chatting to Sky Sports.

Alpha Tauri's Pierre Gasly, speaking to Sky Sports: "We lost Jules already. We all lost an amazing guy, eight years ago, at the same track, in the same conditions with the crane. How? How can there be a crane, not even in the gravel, on the race track, while we are still on the track. I don't understand.

"I got scared. If I had lost the car in a similar way to Carlos... it doesn't matter the speed, I would've just died. Simple as that.

"It is disrespectful to Jules, it's disrespectful to his family and to all of us. We are risking our lives out there. We are doing the best job in the world but what we are asking is to at least keep us safe.

"It's already dangerous enough and today I just feel it was unnecessary. We could've waited one more minute to get back in the pit lane and then put the tractors on track.

"I'm just extremely grateful that I am here and tonight I am going to call my family."

Really strong words from Pierre Gasly on Sky Sports. The Frenchman was horrified with what happened today and said he was "respecting his delta lap time." Full quotes coming up.

Fletch: F1 is not making it easy for themselves. Delaying the budget cap inquiry, recovery truck on track at same time as other cars, now a announcement for world champion where everyone didn't think was the case

Andrew Priestley: Don’t let this shambles of the awarding of full race points and the entire Driver’s World Championship distract from the fact that FIA allowed heavy machinery and marshals onto a race track, with zero visibility, without warning and with cars travelling at huge speeds.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Formula 1 drivers and team principals condemned race officials for putting a recovery vehicle on track in wet conditions at the Japanese Grand Prix.

All called the decision "unacceptable", in the context of the death of Jules Bianchi following an incident in the same race eight years ago.

Bianchi suffered fatal head injuries when he hit a tractor on the circuit.

"Wtf. How's this happened!? We lost a life in this situation years ago," McLaren driver Lando Norris said.

"We risk our lives, especially in conditions like this. We wanna race. But this… Unacceptable."

Alex Wurz, the chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, said: "We need to discuss a tractor on track... We can keep it short: this must not happen, guys."

Read the full story here

Formula 1 have been trying to move the race to be in spring because it is beautiful in Japan in spring, when the weather is better.

But the organisers have said "no, we want to stick with our slot here", which is in the middle of like monsoon season.

So we get a wet race very often. Today's conditions were bad.

Esteban Ocon on his battle with Lewis Hamilton: I was speaking to Lewis about how much fun we had and how bored everyone else was behind. It was a good fun battle, very clean from Lewis, obviously what you expect. I was trying to leave enough space, there wasn't a lot of it!

It's been a very strong weekend. It was only a matter of time until we got the performance out of the car. A clean weekend was what we needed.

When the race got red flagged, it was the right thing to do and when we went again it was good.

On the incident with the recovery vehicle: "We lost enough friends with these vehicles in the past. I was at a very slow speed when I saw it, I was fourth. It must have been hard for the guys at the back.

"It is clear for us all and for FIA in the way that it is dangerous to have a recovery vehicle when the race is neutralised. For sure it will be discussed soon.

On Verstappen's title win: "It was confusing for sure! Well done to him, he fully deserves it, he's been exceptional. It's pure talent."

Lloyd Hibbins: Once again FIA failing to cover themselves in glory. No doubt Max is World Champ, was a matter of time. No reason to have different points lists though. If race completed 28 laps and ends under Red Flag or Chequered flag it's still 28 laps done. Get your regs in order FIA!

Alex Withington: I'm still unhappy about 2021 and Abu Dhabi in particular. But Max Verstappen is an awesome driver and has blown everyone out of the water this year. Congratulations MV

David Williams: The cynical side of me thinks FIA did this full points thing to distract everyone from the absolutely shocking debacle surrounding the recovery truck on the track earlier in the race. Which will take the headlines do you think?

And if you want a clear indication as to why the rules have been written wrongly on reduced race distance/scaled points, under the rules as written, a resumed race that ran to only one lap could (would if Japan precedent applied) be full points.

Lewis Hamilton has just been chatting to Sky Sports following his fifth-placed finish today.

The seven-time world champion sends his congratulations to Max Verstappen after the Dutchman retained his title here in Japan, but adds Mercedes, who have dominated the constructors' championship in recent times, can still pull themselves out of this 2022 slump to challenge again.

"For us, we know what the problems are with this car," says Hamilton. "I believe as a team, we have not gone from world champions and not being able to build a car to not being able to build a good car.

"I have no doubts we'll have a better car next year. Whether or not we'll be able to rectify every issue from this year? We'll find out when we get there."