Red Bull, Max Verstappen return to winning ways at Japanese GP

Red Bull and Max Verstappen cruised from pole position to victory at the Japanese Grand Prix. With the win, Red Bull has officially locked up the 2023 Constructors’ championship. 

Verstappen will look to close out the drivers’ championship at the Quatar Grand Prix. If Verstappen is able to outscore Sergio Perez by six points at the sprint race in Qatar, he will be able to secure the championship before the Qatar Grand Prix.

Despite clinching the constructors’ championship, the Japanese Grand Prix was not without its share of controversy for Red Bull. The FIA stewards made a decision that raised eyebrows when they permitted Perez, who had previously retired from the race due to collisions with Kevin Magnussen, to rejoin the race to serve a five second penalty, rather than defer the penalty to the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix.