
Verstappen's RED CARD revelation on defending against McLaren in Suzuka
Verstappen's RED CARD revelation on defending against McLaren in Suzuka

Max Verstappen joked about his defence against McLaren at the start of the Japanese Grand Prix, after he was compared to a football player.
Verstappen returned to the top in Suzuka, which has become a usual sight in 2023 after an abnormal Singapore Grand Prix. The Dutch driver dominated from start to finish, easily crushing his competitors and winning the race in Japan by over 19 seconds ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris.
The papaya team was the only one that came close to the world champion during the weekend, as both Oscar Piastri and Norris challenged him at the start, albeit unsuccessfully. After that, the race was a breeze for Verstappen, who also set the fastest lap.
Mara Sangiorgio of Sky Sports Italy compared his defence against the McLarens at the start to that of football players, to which Verstappen responded with a joke.
“I don’t know; I never defended in football," said the Red Bull driver with a laugh. "I probably would’ve got a lot of red cars if I was playing football.
"I did a good race. I managed the tyres and had a good weekend, especially after the Singapore GP. I was thinking about this moment since I finished the race last Sunday.”
READ MORE: World CHAMPIONS crowned as Verstappen returns to form in crushing Suzuka victory

Verstappen can win the championship in Qatar
Thanks to their win, Red Bull secured the constructors' championship in Suzuka, with six rounds left in the season. The next race is the Qatar Grand Prix on October 8, where Verstappen could become a three-time world champion.
The Dutchman needs just three points to lift his third title. In fact, he could even win the title in Saturday's sprint race.
2023 is undoubtedly proving to be one of the most dominant seasons in history, with Carlos Sainz's victory in Singapore the only win by a team other than Red Bull. Even team-mate Sergio Perez has been no match for Verstappen, with the Mexican 177 points behind the Dutchman.
READ MORE: Lawson reveals BLUNT Marko response to points-winning race as he outdrives Tsunoda AGAIN
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F1 Standings

Drivers
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Nyck De Vries
- Liam Lawson
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
-
Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2023
-
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023
-
Grand Prix of Australia 2023
-
Grand Prix of China 2023
-
Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2023
-
Miami Grand Prix 2023
-
Qatar Airways Gran Premio Del Made In Italy E Dell'emilia Romagna 2023
-
Grand Prix of Monaco 2023
-
AWS Gran Premio de España 2023
-
Grand Prix du Canada 2023
-
Grand Prix of Austria 2023
-
Aramco Grand Prix of Great Britain 2023
-
Grand Prix of Hungary 2023
-
Grand Prix of Belgium 2023
-
Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2023
-
Grand Prix of Italy 2023
-
Grand Prix of Singapore 2023
-
Grand Prix of Japan 2023
-
Qatar Grand Prix 2023
-
Grand Prix of the United States 2023
-
Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2023
-
Rolex Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2023
-
Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023
-
Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2023
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