The highly anticipated return of the Japanese Grand Prix to the iconic Suzuka Circuit after a three-year hiatus delivered a race of unparalleled challenge and high drama. For many, it was their first experience navigating the legendary track in a Formula 1 car, while even seasoned veterans found their skills tested to the absolute limit. Persistent heavy rain on both Friday and Sunday transformed the notoriously demanding circuit into a treacherous aquatic battlefield, pushing every driver’s composure and car control to their very edges, especially during the crucial race itself.
What unfolded was a chaotic, incident-filled, and ultimately historic Grand Prix. After a lengthy red flag period and a truncated race duration, Max Verstappen was controversially, yet decisively, declared the Formula 1 World Champion. Despite less than half of the originally scheduled 53 laps being completed, full points were awarded, adding another layer of intrigue to an already unforgettable weekend. This comprehensive review delves into each driver’s performance, assessing their scores based on their handling of the extreme conditions, strategic decisions, and overall impact on the race.
Suzuka’s Treacherous Embrace: A Race Overview
The 2022 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka was a spectacle defined by its relentless rain. From the moment the lights went out, chaos ensued. Visibility was virtually zero, leading to immediate incidents. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz aquaplaned off track, crashing out and bringing out the safety car. Just moments later, the race was red-flagged due to worsening conditions and the subsequent recovery efforts, which controversially saw a recovery vehicle on track while cars were still circulating – an incident that drew widespread criticism and fear, particularly from Pierre Gasly.
After a lengthy delay, the race finally restarted under safety car conditions, eventually going green on intermediate tyres. The conditions dictated a race of strategic gambles and incredible car control. Drivers had to manage tyre degradation, make crucial decisions on when to switch to a fresh set of intermediates, and fight tooth and nail for every position on a circuit where grip was at a premium and mistakes were severely punished. Max Verstappen, starting from pole, quickly re-established his dominance, while the battle for the remaining podium places and points was fierce and unpredictable until the very end, culminating in a dramatic conclusion regarding championship points and penalties.
Lewis Hamilton – 6
Qualified: 6th (+2 places ahead of team mate)
-0.128s quicker than team mate in Q3
Finished: 5th (+3 places ahead of team mate)
- Demonstrated strong qualifying pace, outpacing his Mercedes teammate by a tenth of a second to line up sixth on the grid, just behind Esteban Ocon.
- Maintained sixth position at the chaotic start, capitalising on Sainz’s early crash to move up to fifth place before the red flag interruption.
- Following the restart, Hamilton found himself in fourth and strategically pitted for intermediate tyres on the second green flag lap, mirroring the leaders’ strategy.
- Executed a clean overtake on Mick Schumacher to reclaim fourth, then embarked on a relentless pursuit of Ocon, who was running ahead in his Alpine.
- Despite applying immense pressure for the final 16 laps, Hamilton was unable to find a way past Ocon. His Mercedes, set up with higher downforce for optimal cornering, lacked the necessary top speed on the straights to complete the overtake.
- Ultimately finished fifth, less than a second adrift of Ocon, showcasing his unwavering determination despite the car’s limitations in straight-line speed.
George Russell – 5
Qualified: 8th (-2 places behind team mate)
+0.128s slower than team mate in Q3
Finished: 8th (-3 places behind team mate)
- Showed promising pace earlier in the weekend, topping the timesheets in second practice, hinting at strong potential.
- Expressed disappointment with his qualifying performance, only managing eighth place, just over a tenth of a second slower than his teammate.
- Maintained his eighth position at the start, moving up to seventh as a result of Sainz’s first-lap retirement.
- After the restart, a critical double-stack pit stop for intermediate tyres proved costly, as a three-second delay dropped him significantly to 11th place.
- Reported a recurrence of a braking issue, similar to one he experienced in Singapore qualifying, which hampered his rhythm and confidence.
- Displayed strong overtaking prowess, executing a brilliant move around the outside of Turn 6 on Yuki Tsunoda, then swiftly passing Lando Norris for ninth on the same lap.
- Continued his recovery drive by catching and passing Nicholas Latifi for eighth. He then temporarily gained seventh when Fernando Alonso pitted.
- However, the aggressive strategy of Alonso on fresh intermediates saw him re-pass Russell on the very final lap, leaving Russell to finish in eighth position.
Max Verstappen – 8
Qualified: Pole (+3 places ahead of team mate)
-0.405s quicker than team mate in Q3
Finished: Winner (+1 place ahead of team mate)
- A weekend of supreme dominance, consistently outperforming his teammate in every session, firmly establishing his Red Bull as the car to beat.
- His pace was undeniable, reflected in his fastest time during final practice, setting the stage for his pole position.
- Secured pole position despite a minor scare on his final Q3 lap where he lost some bodywork, demonstrating his raw speed even when not perfectly clean.
- Survived a heart-stopping moment at the start, as Charles Leclerc got a significantly better launch. Verstappen expertly held his nerve and maintained the lead by bravely holding firm around the outside through Turn 1.
- Led into the initial red flag period and comfortably maintained his advantage at the restart. He then made a critical and timely pit stop for intermediate tyres at the end of the second green flag lap, a move that would define his race.
- Quickly re-established his lead by overtaking Mick Schumacher, who had stayed out on wets. From that point, Verstappen inexorably pulled away from Leclerc, showcasing superior pace on the intermediate compounds.
- Crossed the finish line with a staggering 27-second lead over Leclerc, a true testament to his mastery of the challenging conditions.
- Was officially crowned World Champion when Leclerc received a post-race penalty, albeit in a somewhat anti-climactic fashion due to the points allocation confusion, which did little to detract from his season-long brilliance.
Sergio Perez – 6
Qualified: 4th (-3 places behind team mate)
+0.405s slower than team mate in Q3
Finished: 2nd (-1 place behind team mate)
- Consistently found himself behind his dominant teammate in every session throughout the weekend, highlighting Verstappen’s exceptional form.
- Qualified a solid fourth on the grid, four tenths of a second slower than Verstappen, positioning him well for the race.
- Executed a strong start, moving past Carlos Sainz into Turn 1 to claim third place before the red flag.
- After the restart, he maintained third position and followed Verstappen into the pits for the crucial switch to intermediate tyres, ensuring he remained in contention.
- Swiftly overtook Mick Schumacher to retake third place, then embarked on a determined chase of Charles Leclerc, gradually reeling in the Ferrari ahead.
- Applied intense pressure on Leclerc for the final six laps of the shortened race, pushing the Ferrari driver to the absolute limit. Although he initially crossed the line just behind Leclerc after the Ferrari missed the final chicane, he was unable to make a clean overtake.
- Ultimately promoted to a well-deserved second place at the chequered flag, as a post-race time penalty was applied to Leclerc for gaining an advantage off-track.
Carlos Sainz Jnr – 4
Qualified: 3rd (-1 place behind team mate)
+0.047s slower than team mate in Q3
Finished: Retired (Crashed – L1)
- Showed promising pace through the practice sessions, consistently ahead of his teammate, suggesting a strong weekend was on the cards.
- Expressed clear frustration after qualifying, narrowly missing out on pole position and a front-row start. A snap of oversteer exiting the final corner cost him precious time, relegating him to third by a mere half-tenth of a second.
- Lost one position to a charging Sergio Perez on the run to Turn 1, slotting into fourth place early in the race.
- Tragically, his race came to an abrupt end on the opening lap. Aquaplaning off the track through the notoriously fast 200R corner, he slid into the barriers, a consequence of the severe wet conditions.
- Sainz had the unfortunate distinction of being the only driver to retire from the Japanese Grand Prix due to his own mistake, highlighting the fine margins and inherent risks of racing in such extreme weather.
Charles Leclerc – 6
Qualified: 2nd (+1 place ahead of team mate)
-0.047s quicker than team mate in Q3
Finished: 3rd
- Trailed his teammate in all practice sessions, indicating a learning curve or difficulty in finding optimal setup in the initial stages.
- Came incredibly close to snatching pole position, missing out by a mere one-hundredth of a second after being ahead of Verstappen until the final metres of his qualifying lap.
- Executed an excellent launch off the line, getting a significantly better start than Verstappen and briefly pulling ahead into Turn 1. However, he couldn’t quite complete the move and take the lead.
- Held a solid second position during the initial red flag period and maintained this position comfortably after the restart.
- Followed Verstappen’s lead into the pits to switch to intermediate tyres, a crucial strategic move. He then efficiently passed Mick Schumacher to regain second place.
- Struggled to match Verstappen’s relentless pace on the intermediate tyres, gradually falling back and consequently coming under increasing pressure from Sergio Perez behind him.
- Managed to absorb the immense pressure from Perez right up to the final lap. He crossed the line in second, just ahead of the Red Bull, but only after missing the final chicane.
- Was ultimately demoted to third place after receiving a post-race five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an unfair advantage, a frustrating end to an otherwise strong drive.
Lando Norris – 6
Qualified: 10th (+1 place ahead of team mate)
-0.186s quicker than team mate in Q2
Finished: 10th (+1 place ahead of team mate)
- Consistently outpaced his teammate in every practice session, demonstrating his comfort and speed around Suzuka in various conditions.
- Successfully navigated into Q3, initially qualifying eighth, but found himself the slowest in the final phase, ultimately lining up tenth on the grid.
- Experienced a challenging start, losing two positions immediately, and then two more when he was pushed wide at the hairpin by Lance Stroll, hindering his early progress.
- Found himself in 13th position under the red flag. He held this position at the restart before making a decisive pit stop for intermediate tyres at the end of the first green flag lap.
- Capitalised on the superior grip of the new intermediates, swiftly moving up to ninth place, before being overtaken by a recovering George Russell.
- Maintained his position ahead of his teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, to secure the final championship point by finishing in ninth place (later adjusted due to other penalties).
Daniel Ricciardo – 5
Qualified: 11th (-1 place behind team mate)
+0.186s slower than team mate in Q2
Finished: 11th (-1 place behind team mate)
- Benefited from receiving the same raft of car upgrades that his teammate had enjoyed in the previous race, aiming to boost his performance.
- Was consistently behind his teammate in every practice session, indicating he still had work to do to extract the maximum from the updated car.
- Comfortably progressed to Q2 but narrowly missed out on a Q3 berth by an agonising three-thousandths of a second, highlighting the ultra-tight competition.
- Started from 11th and made an impressive three-place gain on the opening lap, moving into eighth position before the red flag was deployed.
- Maintained eighth place at the restart, but his decision to pit for intermediates one lap later than most cars ahead of him proved costly, dropping him back to 13th.
- Managed to recover two positions when both Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda opted for a second set of intermediate tyres, moving him up the order.
- Finished 11th, just behind his teammate, and successfully held off a persistent Lance Stroll over the final laps, securing a respectable finish outside the points.
Fernando Alonso – 6
Qualified: 7th (-2 places behind team mate)
+0.157s slower than team mate in Q3
Finished: 7th (-3 places behind team mate)
- Showcased strong form throughout practice, consistently ahead of his teammate, hinting at a competitive weekend for Alpine.
- Made a brilliant run to progress to Q3 in second place, ultimately securing seventh on the grid, just behind his teammate Esteban Ocon, and ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes.
- Maintained his position during the chaotic opening lap, then gained a place to sixth as a result of Carlos Sainz’s early crash.
- Restarted in sixth place but opted for an aggressive strategy, staying out one lap longer than many cars around him before pitting for intermediate tyres. This gamble initially dropped him down the order.
- Dropped to seventh behind Sebastian Vettel and spent numerous laps intensely pressuring the Aston Martin, showcasing his veteran race craft.
- Took another calculated risk by pitting for a second set of fresh intermediate tyres with less than ten minutes remaining in the shortened race, a decision that dropped him temporarily to ninth.
- Executed a breathtaking final lap charge, overtaking Nicholas Latifi and then a struggling George Russell. He closed rapidly on Vettel, almost catching him in the final sector.
- Was agonizingly denied sixth position by just one-hundredth of a second on the run to the finish line, underscoring the thrill of his late-race heroics.
Esteban Ocon – 8
Qualified: 5th (+2 places ahead of team mate)
-0.157s quicker than team mate in Q3
Finished: 4th (+3 places ahead of team mate)
- Consistently found himself behind his teammate in every practice session, making his qualifying performance all the more remarkable.
- Delivered a stellar qualifying performance, securing “best of the rest” in fifth place, crucially ahead of both Mercedes cars and his highly experienced teammate.
- Held his fifth position admirably at the start, then moved up to fourth with Carlos Sainz’s crash before the red flag brought a halt to the early proceedings.
- Maintained his fourth-place slot after the restart, then followed the cars ahead into the pits for the essential switch to intermediate tyres, maintaining track position.
- Efficiently overtook Mick Schumacher to move back into fourth place, immediately finding himself under sustained and intense pressure from the formidable Lewis Hamilton.
- Executed a truly heroic defensive drive, fighting with incredible skill and determination to keep Hamilton’s Mercedes at bay for the remainder of the race. He crossed the line in fourth, less than a second ahead of the seven-time world champion, a performance that earned widespread praise.
Pierre Gasly – 3
Qualified: 17th (-4 places behind team mate)
Started: 20th (-7 places behind team mate)
+0.192s slower than team mate in Q1
Finished: 18th (-4 places behind team mate)
- Endured a challenging start to the weekend, changing his left-front brake disc before qualifying. He subsequently struggled with erratic braking, which significantly hampered his performance and led to an early exit from Q1 in 17th.
- His woes continued as he was relegated to a pit lane start after his team opted to change his rear wing under Parc Fermé conditions before the race.
- In the chaos of the opening lap, he tragically struck an advertising hoarding dislodged by Sainz’s crash, resulting in front wing damage and forcing an early pit stop.
- During his slow recovery lap to the pits, he was horrified to pass a recovery crane on track in extremely poor visibility, reigniting safety concerns from previous F1 incidents.
- Restarted in 18th and last position. He pitted for intermediate tyres at the end of the second green flag lap, attempting to catch up with the field.
- Ran in 16th under pressure from Zhou Guanyu, before making a second pit stop for a fresh set of intermediates, further disrupting his race.
- Was undercut by Zhou but managed to overtake Mick Schumacher to move up to 17th by the finish, a minor consolation in a weekend to forget.
- His disastrous weekend was compounded by a 20-second post-race time penalty for driving at over 250km/h along the back straight after the red flag, ultimately dropping him to last in the final classification.
Yuki Tsunoda – 6
Qualified: 13th (+4 places ahead of team mate)
Started: 13th (+7 places ahead of team mate)
-0.192s quicker than team mate in Q1
Finished: 13th (+4 places ahead of team mate)
- As the home hero, Tsunoda comfortably progressed into Q2, but his session was hampered by brake struggles, leading to his elimination in 13th place.
- Showed excellent spatial awareness and aggression on the opening lap, gaining an impressive four places to find himself in ninth position under the red flag.
- Pitted for intermediate tyres at the end of the second green flag lap, a common strategy, but this dropped him to tenth, and he subsequently lost a place to a charging George Russell.
- Made the strategic decision to pit for a second set of intermediate tyres, a gamble that initially dropped him further down the order to 16th.
- Displayed strong recovery pace on his fresh tyres, swiftly passing Mick Schumacher, then both Valtteri Bottas and Kevin Magnussen on the same lap to reclaim 13th position, where he ultimately finished the race.
Sebastian Vettel – 7
Qualified: 9th (+10 places ahead of team mate)
Started: 9th (+9 places ahead of team mate)
-0.163s quicker than team mate in Q1
Finished: 6th (+6 places ahead of team mate)
- Secured his spot as the final driver to reach Q2, then impressively squeezed into Q3 for the first time since Baku, lining up ninth on the grid in a strong qualifying performance.
- Had a decent start, gaining a place over George Russell. However, his race seemed to unravel almost immediately with a spin at Turn 1, appearing to turn into Fernando Alonso alongside him. This incident dropped him to last and could have easily ended his race.
- Displayed incredible recovery in the low visibility, using the lack of spray from other cars to quickly catch up to the field by the hairpin, gaining a place with Zhou Guanyu’s spin.
- Restarted 16th after the red flag. In a masterstroke of strategy, he pitted for intermediate tyres almost immediately as the green flag was shown, a bold and early move.
- This astute call saw him gain an astonishing ten places as those ahead gradually pitted, propelling him into sixth position ahead of Fernando Alonso.
- Enjoyed a period of relative calm, relieved of pressure until Alonso, on a fresh set of intermediates, rapidly closed in during the final laps.
- Held off Alonso in a thrilling drag race to the finish line, securing sixth position by a minuscule one-hundredth of a second, matching his best result of the season with a truly memorable recovery drive.
Lance Stroll – 5
Qualified: 19th (-10 places behind team mate)
Started: 18th (-9 places behind team mate)
+0.163s slower than team mate in Q1
Finished: 12th (-6 places behind team mate)
- Suffered an early exit from Q1, qualifying 19th after locking up into the hairpin on his final flying lap, compromising his starting position.
- Executed a brilliant start, gaining three crucial places by smartly utilising a drier patch of track by the pit wall. He then swiftly passed Alex Albon and aggressively pushed Lando Norris wide at the hairpin, showcasing his opportunism.
- Restarted in 11th place after the red flag, but lost a position to Kevin Magnussen into Degner 1, dropping back slightly.
- Pitted for a set of wet tyres, a strategic decision that saw him running in 12th place, nestled between George Russell and Daniel Ricciardo.
- Opted for a second set of intermediate tyres on Lap 19, a move that temporarily dropped him down to 16th as others adjusted their strategies.
- Displayed a good recovery, passing Mick Schumacher, Valtteri Bottas, and Kevin Magnussen to move back up to 12th position, where he ultimately finished the race, just outside the points.
Nicholas Latifi – 6
Qualified: 20th (-4 places behind team mate)
Started: 19th (-3 places behind team mate)
+0.2s slower than team mate in Q1
Finished: 9th
- Was involved in a bizarre incident during first practice, appearing to mistake a connecting road at the chicane for the actual track, adding an unusual moment to his weekend.
- Qualified slowest of the entire field in Q1, lining up 20th, though he gained one place due to Pierre Gasly starting from the pit lane.
- Achieved a decent start off the line, gaining two positions on the opening lap to sit 15th under the red flag, keeping him in touch with the main pack.
- Made a truly inspired and immediate pit stop for intermediate tyres as the race restarted. This brave call saw him jump an astonishing seven places, from 15th to eighth, after all other cars had completed their stops.
- Lost a position to a recovering George Russell, then was re-passed by Fernando Alonso after the Alpine driver had fitted his own fresh intermediate tyres.
- Displayed impressive composure and defensive driving in the closing laps, holding off a determined Lando Norris to secure a fantastic ninth-place finish, earning his first championship points of the season in challenging circumstances.
Alexander Albon – 4
Qualified: 16th (+4 places ahead of team mate)
Started: 16th (+3 places ahead of team mate)
-0.2s quicker than team mate in Q1
Finished: Retired (Crash damage – L1)
- Narrowly missed out on progressing through Q1, finishing 16th on the grid, just outside the cutoff.
- Executed a fantastic getaway off the line, helping him move up three places in the opening moments. However, he was unfortunate to clash with Kevin Magnussen in the extremely poor visibility at Dunlop Corner.
- The collision resulted in significant radiator damage to his car, forcing him to pull off the track and retire from the race prematurely on the very first lap.
- Described the treacherous conditions as “the worst I’ve ever experienced in my career,” underscoring the severity of the rain and lack of visibility.
Valtteri Bottas – 5
Qualified: 12th (+2 places ahead of team mate)
-0.244s quicker than team mate in Q2
Finished: 15th (+1 place ahead of team mate)
- Consistently showed superior pace to his teammate in every practice session, indicating a stronger command of the car and circuit.
- Was eliminated from Q2, securing 12th position on the grid for the race, a decent starting spot.
- Suffered a poor getaway off the line, dropping a significant five places. He eventually gained two back as Albon and Sainz retired, putting him 14th under the red flag.
- Restarted in 14th but voiced strong concerns that the conditions were not safe enough to resume racing, a sentiment shared by many drivers.
- Pitted for intermediate tyres at the end of the first green flag lap, but was subsequently passed by Kevin Magnussen, losing further ground.
- Ran behind Magnussen for the remainder of the race, unable to find a way past the Haas. He eventually finished in 15th position, outside the points.
Zhou Guanyu – 4
Qualified: 14th (-2 places behind team mate)
+0.244s slower than team mate in Q2
Finished: 16th (-1 place behind team mate)
- Consistently found himself behind his teammate in every practice session, reflecting his first experience learning the challenging Suzuka Circuit.
- Successfully reached Q2 but was knocked out in 14th, two tenths slower than his teammate, a reasonable effort for a rookie at Suzuka.
- Experienced a disastrous start, getting swamped by cars behind him and falling five places before Turn 1. His struggles compounded when he spun at the hairpin while trying to overtake Nicholas Latifi.
- Found himself in 17th position under the red flag. He then gambled on the rain intensifying after the restart, choosing to stay out longer than most of the field on full wet tyres.
- Eventually pitted for intermediate tyres at the end of lap nine, a decision that dropped him to last place before he gained one spot when Mick Schumacher pitted.
- Was one of the first drivers to commit to a second set of intermediate tyres, a strategic move he used effectively to jump Pierre Gasly and then pass Mick Schumacher, ultimately finishing 16th.
- Despite a challenging race, he secured a notable achievement by setting the fastest lap of the race, demonstrating his raw pace when he found clear air and optimal conditions.
Mick Schumacher – 4
Qualified: 15th (+3 places ahead of team mate)
-0.2s quicker than team mate in Q1
Started: 15th (+2 places ahead of team mate)
Finished: 17th (-3 places behind team mate)
- Suffered an unfortunate crash after the end of opening practice, which severely impacted his weekend by forcing him to miss the entire second practice session as a result.
- Despite the setback, he managed to progress into Q2, though he couldn’t quite match his fastest Q1 time, eventually qualifying in 15th position.
- Made an excellent start in the chaotic opening lap, gaining a remarkable five places to find himself in tenth position during the red flag period.
- Held his position admirably at the restart and then gambled on a Safety Car intervention by strategically staying out on wet tyres while most other drivers pitted for intermediates.
- This bold strategy saw him lead a lap for the very first time in his Formula 1 career, a memorable moment. However, as cars on intermediates found their pace, he gradually dropped down the order.
- He eventually became the final driver to switch to intermediate tyres, a decision that ultimately relegated him to last place on track.
- Gained some places as drivers ahead made second pit stops for intermediates, but was subsequently re-passed by all of them, finishing the race last on track.
- Was moved ahead of Pierre Gasly in the final classification due to Gasly’s post-race penalty, securing 17th position.
Kevin Magnussen – 5
Qualified: 18th (-3 places behind team mate)
+0.2s slower than team mate in Q1
Started: 17th (-2 places behind team mate)
Finished: 14th (+3 places ahead of team mate)
- Consistently outperformed his teammate in both practice sessions in which both drivers participated, demonstrating promising speed.
- Expressed bewilderment at being eliminated 18th in Q1, feeling that his fastest lap was decent and should have been enough to progress further.
- Gained two places in the opening corners of the race, but was then involved in a clash with Alex Albon in the dense spray at Dunlop, yet still managed to end the first lap in 12th.
- Restarted in 12th, making an aggressive move to pass Lance Stroll into Degner to take 11th before making his pit stop for intermediate tyres on lap seven.
- Overtook Valtteri Bottas to move into 14th position and then found himself under sustained pressure from the Alfa Romeo for the remainder of the race.
- Gained two places when Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda pitted for a second time, but was subsequently overtaken by both drivers, ultimately finishing in 14th position, just outside the points.
Over to You: Have Your Say on the Suzuka Performers
The 2022 Japanese Grand Prix was a race brimming with talking points, from championship drama to incredible displays of skill and resilience in extreme conditions. Now it’s your turn to weigh in.
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