Red Bull’s Max Verstappen triumphed in the Formula One world championship for the second time amidst the chaos.
On Sunday, Max Verstappen’s victory came after Ferrari competitor Charles Leclerc was given a five-second post-race penalty at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Leclerc dropped from second to third behind Red Bull’s Sergio Perez after clipping the final chicane while defending against the Mexican on the final lap, giving the victory to the Dutch driver at Suzuka.
There was immediate uncertainty on whether full points had been granted during the abbreviated race due to the rain and if the title would be decided at the US Grand Prix on October 23, however, the regulatory authority of the FIA validated the victory.
Verstappen described winning his second consecutive championship as “a crazy feeling” since he had not anticipated it when he crossed the finish line.
In 2021, with a move on the last lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen stole the world title from Lewis Hamilton.
He had previously remarked, “It’s just insane, I mean, my goal when I was little was to become a Formula One driver and to go for wins, to be on the podium.”
