Add Category
Max Verstappen has won the Formula 1 world drivers' championship after victory in the Japanese Grand Prix, securing glory with four races remaining in the season.
- Max Verstappen wrapped up his second world title after his 12th victory of the season
- The race was stopped on the second lap after Ferrari's Carlos Sainz crashed
- The cars drove past a tractor that was recovering Sainz's car, drawing criticism from drivers
The Dutchman clinched his second world title after his teammate Sergio Perez was awarded second place when Ferrari's Charles Leclerc — who crossed the line in second — was given a five-second-penalty for cutting the corner on the final lap of the race.
Verstappen has dominated the circuit this season, having won 12 of the 18 races in 2022.
But the main talking point of the day came when the race was red-flagged on the second lap.
French racing driver Pierre Gasly drove past a tractor on track at speed, eight years after Jules Bianchi lost his life at the same track.
Sunday's F1 race was red-flagged after two laps as heavy rain poured down at Suzuka, with Carlos Sainz crashing on the opening lap.
To recover Sainz's wrecked Ferrari, a tractor was on track to remove the car while the rest of the field was still going around the circuit behind the safety car.
AlphaTauri driver Gasly, who pitted after a signage board damaged his front wing, was going at a faster speed to catch up to the group when he passed the tractor.
It was scenes eerily similar to 2014 when Jules Bianchi slid off the track at Suzuka and crashed into a tractor that was recovering a damaged car.
Bianchi died from the injuries sustained in that crash.
Gasly was visibly annoyed when he got back to the pits after the race was stopped.
All other cars on the track also passed the tractor, but they were going at considerably slower speeds behind the safety car.
The red flag to stop the race came out as Gasly was approaching the tractor, which was difficult to see in the awful conditions.
After hearing a driver had gone past a tractor on track at speed, Sainz said there was no need for that kind of vehicle while cars will still be on the circuit in bad conditions.
"Even behind a safety car, we are going 100-150kph and still at those speeds we don't see nothing," he said.
"So if one driver decides to get a bit out of the racing line, or has small aquaplaning, or has to change a switch on his steering wheel and gets a bit out of line and hits a tractor, it's all over".
McLaren driver Lando Norris was fuming on social media during the race stoppage.
"We lost a life in this situation years ago," he said.
"We risk our lives, especially in conditions like this. We wanna race. But this … Unacceptable."
Red Bull boss Christian Horner was equally frustrated a tractor was on the circuit.
"Totally unacceptable. That should never, ever happen," he said.
"There needs to be a full investigation as to why there was a recovery vehicle on the circuit."
Former F1 driver Martin Brundle said Gasly — who was believed to be going faster than he should have — said the Frenchman did not deserve all the blame and the recovery vehicle should not have been out until all competitors were behind the safety car.
"Should have been an instant red flag with a stricken car in a critical position in those conditions," he said on social media.
"Should NEVER EVER be a tractor on track until the cars are all collected up behind a safety car or in the pits."