Max Verstappen wins second F1 world title
Max Verstappen won the rain-shortened Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday to clinch his second consecutive Formula One championship. His closest rival, Charles Leclerc, was penalised after the race for a post-race infraction.
The Dutchman Verstappen reached the finish line ahead of the Ferrari driver who, defending against Sergio Perez’s Red Bull, took the checkered flag in second place.
However, the Monaco driver had five seconds added to his racing time for cutting across the final chicane, which dropped him to third place.
“It’s a crazy feeling of course as I didn’t expect it when I crossed the line,” said Verstappen amid confusion over whether reduced points under new rules introduced this year would apply with the race running to just over its halfway mark.
“Was it going to be half points, I didn’t know how many points I was going to get,” he added.
