F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2022 result: Verstappen named world champion in anticlimactic fashion

Joshua Mayne

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F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2022 result: Verstappen named world champion in anticlimactic fashion image

Max Verstappen has claimed the 2022 Formula 1 Drivers' World Championship in bizarre circumstances after dominating a rain-affected Japanese Grand Prix.

The Dutchman took the chequered flag under the impression that he would have to wait until the next race to secure his second successive title as less than 75% of the race was completed, so the broad assumption was that reduced points would be awarded.

However, full points were instead handed out, meaning that Verstappen was confirmed as the world champion. In fact, the news was delivered to the Red Bull driver during his post-race interview with Johnny Herbert. 

A number of incidents and heavy rain saw the race red-flagged after two laps, with drivers eventually re-entering the track after a long wait in pit lane. 40 minutes of action under a race timer then took place, with Verstappen able to quickly establish a huge lead over Charles Leclerc. 

A last-lap incident involving Leclerc and Sergio Perez saw the Monegasque driver drop to P3 after a penalty was issued, which in turn confirmed Verstappen's title success.

Elsewhere in the field, Nicholas Latifi claimed his first points of the season for Williams, whilst Esteban Ocon fought off Lewis Hamilton to finish P4 as Alpine fought back to overtake McLaren in the constructors championship. .

F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2022 results

POSITION DRIVER TEAM POINTS
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 25
2 Sergio Perez Red Bull 18
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 15
4 Esteban Ocon Alpine 12
5 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 10
6 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 8
7 Fernando Alonso Alpine 6
8 George Russell Mercedes 4
9   Nicholas Latifi Williams 2
10 Lando Norris McLaren 1
11 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 0
12 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 0
13 Yuki Tsunoda Alpha Tauri 0
14 Kevin Magnussen Haas 0
15 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 0
16 Guanyu Zhou Alfa Romeo 0
17 Pierre Gasly Alpha Tauri 0
18 Mick Schumacher Haas 0
DNF Carlos Sainz  Ferrari 0
DNF Alex Albon Williams 0

Max Verstappen is world champion - but why were full points awarded?

Like 2021, Max Verstappen's 2022 title victory was filled with controversy and confusion.

This time around, there is no disputing he was deserving of the win, but the decision to award full points after a shortened race raised eyebrows. 

Verstappen needed to be 112 points ahead of his nearest rival following the race to secure the title in Japan. 

Max Verstappen
Red Bull Content Pool

Whilst the Japanese Grand Prix did not run for the full race distance, the fact it was restarted after the initial red flag meant that full points could be handed out.

The FIA cited Article 6.5 of the Sporting Regulations, where reduced points can only be awarded "if a race is suspended in accordance with Article 57 and cannot be resumed".

This decision meant Verstappen finished with an unassailable 113-point lead over Sergio Perez and 114 over Charles Leclerc.

Nicholas Latifi scores first points of 2022 season

Amid the chaos, Nicholas Latifi quietly claimed his first points of the current F1 season as he wrestled his Williams car to P9 on the grid.

The 27-year-old - who is departing Williams at the end of this year - crafted his way from P19 to P9, taking advantage of various safety car restarts and  making an early decision to switch to the much faster intermediate tyres.

The result moves the Canadian to 20th position in the driver standings, above Williams loan driver Nyck de Vries who also finished P9 on his F1 debut back in Italy.

Carlos Sainz fails to finish again

Carlos Sainz fell victim to the tricky and wet conditions at Suzuka, crashing out on the opening lap of the race.

He spun out and fizzed across the track at high speed, eventually crashing into the safety barriers, though thankfully was not hit by any other driver. 

It was the Spaniard's fifth DNF of 2022 in what has been an inconsistent and eventful season for him with the Scuderia. 

Pierre Gasly furious at recovery tractor decision

Following Sainz's crash, a recovery tractor was brought onto the Suzuka Circuit despite the fact that some drivers were still out on the track.

At the rear of the pack due to starting from the pit lane, Pierre Gasly went past the tractor at high speed, leading to an angry reaction from the Frenchman on the radio and when he returned to the garage. 

"Obviously I got scared. If I had lost the car the way Carlos lost it, it doesn’t matter the speed ... I would’ve died," Gasly told Sky Sports F1.

The incident drew immediate comparisons to Jules Bianchi's fatal accident at the same track back in 2014.

F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2022 live updates, highlights from the Suzuka Circuit: As it happened

CHEQUERED FLAG: Verstappen wins the Japanese Grand Prix ... and the world championship!

Max Verstappen cruises to victory and records a dominant win at the Suzuka Circuit.

Some extra excitement on the last lap, too, with Leclerc running off the track but coming back on to hold onto P2 ahead of Perez. 

Following a quick assessment by race control, a five-second penalty has been handed to Leclerc, meaning he drops to P3.

It has also been revealed that - after much confusion - Verstappen is officially the world champion!

Full points have been awarded despite the race being cut short.

0 mins remaining: The clock is down to zero, so Verstappen will now complete his final lap.

2 mins remaining: Perez is still hot on Leclerc's heels... But the Ferrari driver is managing to hold on despite some shaky moments. 

6 mins remaining: A bit of action at the top now, with Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez battling for P2. 

The Monegasque driver runs wide by Perez isn't quite close enough to finish the overtake.

8 mins remaining: Fernando Alonso has boldly pitted and drops down three spots to P10.

11 mins remaining: "Are you sleeping?" Sergio Perez asks his race engineer.

It's been a quiet race so far, even with the wet conditions.

16 mins remaining: Some radio mind games between Alpine and Mercedes as Esteban Ocon and Lewis Hamilton jostle for P4.

Despite hinting that they might come into the pits, both drivers are still on track.

22 mins remaining: A very brave sweeping overtake from George Russell sees him overtake Yuki Tsunoda for P10.

25 mins remaining: Verstappen has already exerted his dominance in this race, leading his nearest challenger Leclerc by eight seconds.

29 mins remaining: Ricciardo reports on the radio that the weather is stable.

There appear to still be a few drizzles of rain but the track is gradually drying up.

34 mins remaining: Alonso and Ricciardo pit for inters, putting Max Verstappen back in the lead of the race.

36 mins remaining: The majority of the field is pitting for intermediate tires, but Alonso, Ricciardo, Schumacher and Zhou are staying out on full wets.

39 mins remaining: A bit of a hairy incident involving Sebastian Vettel and Nicholas Latifi in the pits... 

An unsafe release by Aston Martin was investigated by race control but no penalties have been handed out.

RACE RESTART: The safety car has gone into the pits and we're underway again! 

There are 40 minutes remaining on the race timer, with the race to conclude after the leader completes one lap once the time expires.

Rolling start: Take two. Cars have actually left pit lane this time, and are now following the safety car.

A rolling start will get us underway shortly.

1 hour 15 min since restart suspension: More racing on the way!

Race Control has announced that cars will be sent back out on track at 4:15 p.m. local time, approximately ten minutes from now.

1 hour since restart suspension: The safety car is out... We're still yet to know if there will be any more racing today.

45 mins since restart suspension: With the race timer ticking down, there isn't enough time remaining to run at least 75% of the race distance.

That means Max Verstappen will need to wait another two weeks before he can be crowned world champion.

30 mins since restart suspension: Still no sign of cars returning to the track, but the crowd at Suzuka is still full.

Fingers crossed we'll be able to get underway again safely.

15 mins since restart suspension: There has been plenty of discussion about a controversy involving a recovery tractor that was on track following Carlos Sainz's crash.

The tractor was brought out before all drivers had passed it.

Pierre Gasly was visibly angry once he returned to the garage after he had to avoid the tractor in low visibility conditions.

Lando Norris has even taken to Twitter to criticise the incident. 

10 mins since restart suspension: Rain is falling pretty heavily now, so a restart might be a little while away.

RESTART SUSPENDED: Just as cars were warming up to re-enter the track, race control have opted to suspend the restart.

It's unclear why the decision was made, but it appears that more rain is on the way.

5 mins until restart: Max Verstappen will be in pole position from the restart, with Charles Leclerc and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez behind him. 

20 mins since red flag: The safety car has been out to test the track conditions and race control has now announced that the race will re-start in 15 minutes (2:50 p.m. local time / 1:50 a.m. ET). 

A rolling start will be used to get us back underway with more than one lap behind the safety car.

10 mins since red flag: Fernando is keeping us entertained as we wait to find out when racing will resume.

RED FLAG: The race has been red-flagged on Lap 2 after a string of incidents, with the rain intensity also increasing. 

Cars have made their way to pit lane.

LIGHTS OUT: A chaotic opening lap and the safety car is out!

It was difficult to see much of the action with the huge amount of spray, but Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc got into an exciting tussle for the lead.

Leclerc appeared to have the advantage heading into the first turn but Verstappen managed to keep ahead.

In the middle of the pack, Sebastian Vettel collided with Fernando Alonso and sustained some damage.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz aquaplaned later in the lap, causing him to slam into a barrier which ends his race.

Alex Albon has also had his race ended, with his Williams car appearing to have an engine failure.

Other impacted drivers on that lap include Guanyu Zhou (who spun on-track) and Pierre Gasly (who had an advertising board land on his front wing after Sainz's crash). 

5 mins to lights out: The formation lap is underway at a very drizzly and overcast Suzuka Circuit. 

Most teams have opted for intermediate tires, and there is a lot of spray as the cars set off.

Could be an eventful race...

15 mins to lights out: The drivers are on the grid and it's now time for the singing of the Japanese national anthem.

There is every indication that the race will begin as normal, with no rolling start.

30 mins to lights out: Home crowd favourite Yuki Tsunoda is the only Japanese driver on today's grid. 

He'll start the race from 13th, whilst his Alpha Tauri teammate Pierre Gasly will begin from pit lane after his rear wing and front wing ballast were changed following qualifying. 

40 mins to lights out: Rain continues to fall at the track and according to the local weather forecast, it isn't set to stop any time soon. 

It doesn't appear too heavy, so here's hoping we can avoid a delayed start like in Singapore last week. 

Intermediates appear to be the tire of choice as the cars head out on track. 

50 mins to lights out: Sebastian Vettel will race for the last time at Suzuka as an F1 driver today. 

Exactly 11 years ago he secured the second of his four world championships on this very track.

A good omen for Verstappen...?

1 hour to lights out: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of the 2022 edition of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Plenty of eyes will be on Max Verstappen as he looks to become a two-time world champion.

F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2022 starting grid

POSITION DRIVER TEAM
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari
3 Carlos Sainz  Ferrari
4 Sergio Perez Red Bull
5 Esteban Ocon Alpine
6 Lewis Hamilton  Mercedes
7 Fernando Alonso Alpine
8 George Russell Mercedes
9 Sebastian Vettel  Aston Martin
10 Lando Norris McLaren
11 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren
12 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo
13 Yuki Tsunoda Alpha Tauri
14 Guanyu Zhou  Alfa Romeo
15 Mick Schumacher Haas
16 Alexander Albon Williams
17 Kevin Magnussen Haas
18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin
19 Nicholas Latifi Williams
Pit lane Pierre Gasly Alpha Tauri

What must Max Verstappen do to be crowned F1 world champion at the Japanese Grand Prix?

There are several ways in which Red Bull's Verstappen could claim his second successive world championship victory at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday.

The most simple would be if he won the race and took the extra point for fastest lap along the way. That would see the Dutchman crowned world champion regardless of where his title rivals finish. 

Verstappen could also be crowned champion if he finishes first, doesn't record the fastest lap but Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finishes lower than P2. 

Equally, if either Leclerc or teammate Sergio Perez finish ahead of him, Verstappen cannot be crowned champion in Japan. 

The other complicated permutations can be viewed here.

What channel is the F1 race on?

  • Race: Japanese Grand Prix
  • Date: Sunday, Oct. 9
  • Start time: 1 a.m. ET (2 p.m. local time)
  • TV channel: ESPN
  • Live stream: fuboTV

The ESPN family of networks will broadcast all 2022 F1 races in the United States using Sky Sports' feed, with select races airing on ABC. You can also stream Formula 1 races live in the U.S. with fuboTV, which offers a free trial.

ESPN Deportes serves as the exclusive Spanish-language home for all 2022 F1 races in the U.S.

Formula 1 live stream for the Japanese Grand Prix

For those who don't have a cable or satellite subscription, five major OTT TV streaming options carry the ESPN networks — fuboTV, Sling, Hulu, YouTubeTV and DirecTV Stream. 

For those who do have a cable or satellite subscription but won't be in front of a TV, Formula 1 races in 2022 can be streamed live via phones, tablets and other devices on the ESPN app with authentication.

How to watch F1 in the United States

  • TV channel: ESPN
  • Live stream: fuboTV

The ESPN family of networks will broadcast all 2022 F1 races in the United States using Sky Sports' feed, with select races airing on ABC. You can also stream Formula 1 races live in the U.S. with fuboTV, which offers a free trial.

ESPN Deportes serves as the exclusive Spanish-language home for all 2022 F1 races in the U.S.

How to watch F1 in Canada

  • TV channel: TSN (English); RDS (French)
  • Live stream: TSN Direct

For fans in Canada, TSN will carry the English-language telecast of races. For those looking for the French-language broadcast, RDS will have you covered.

Races can also be streamed via TSN's streaming service, TSN Direct.

How to watch F1 in the UK

  • TV channel: Sky Sports F1
  • Live stream: NOW TV

Viewers in the United Kingdom can catch all F1 action on Sky Sports F1, the dedicated F1 channel. For viewers planning to live stream F1 in 2022, you can purchase a Sky Sports Pass on NOW TV.

How to watch F1 in Australia

  • TV channel: Fox Sports; Channel 10
  • Live stream: Kayo

Fox Sports will carry all races in Australia, with Channel 10 broadcasting the Australian GP.

Joshua Mayne

Joshua Mayne Photo

Joshua Mayne is a content producer for The Sporting News Australia based in Sydney, Australia. He has previously worked as a newsreader at 2SER and journalist at Ministry of Sport. While Joshua’s main passions are football, rugby league, basketball and F1, he will watch any sport that's on. He is still waiting for Arsenal to win the Premier League again.