Max Verstappen left no one in doubt about his low opinion of racing in current Formula 1 after following Pierre Gasly home in eighth place at Suzuka.
The Red Bull driver spent half the race trying to pass his rival, to no avail. Although he got ahead at one point, Verstappen only managed to do so by taking too much from his battery, and was easily re-passed.
Both drivers were in conversation with their race engineers about how to optimise their cars for the battle. Verstappen’s race culminated in a last-ditch effort to pass Gasly on the final lap, but it failed to pay off.
Radio messages from Verstappen and Gasly’s battle
Think about getting yourself some free overtake
If you’d let him through before 16 you could have had 0.5MJ extra
Overtake is enabled
Easy to say mate
At least we know it’s possible
It’s terrible, couldn’t get close
“Think about getting yourself some free overtake”
Verstappen enjoyed his first good start to a race this season, passing Gabriel Bortoleto on the first lap. He picked off his team mate the next time around, then took eighth place off Arvid Lindblad.
His race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase was quiet throughout much of this. Verstappen then attempted to hunt down Gasly but made little impression on the Alpine driver.
When race leader Oscar Piastri pitted and came out behind Verstappen, Lambiase advised him to time the moment at which the McLaren overtook him in order to cross the Overtake Mode detection line within a second of his rival, to gain the extra power boost.
Soon afterwards, Oliver Bearman crashed heavily and the Safety Car was deployed. Red Bull seized the opportunity to bring Verstappen in for his pit stop.
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| Lap: 1/53 VER: 1’41.273 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | In turn 11. Nothing else heard |
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| Lambiase | Mode six. That radio cut out, Max. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 2/53 VER: 1’35.854 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | I have no boost out of turn 11, mate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Okay, copy that. No messages for several minutes. Passes Hadjar and later Lindblad at hairpin |
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| Lap: 7/53 VER: 1’36.067 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Repeat please, the radio was poor at the start of the straight. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | You need to advise me guys, what to do with the battery when I’m fighting, where then to lift. I hear nothing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | You were maximising the harvest, Max. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 8/53 VER: 1’35.725 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Ocon was at 0.9 at the detection. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Approaching the hairpin Happy with the pull toggle here it’s the under-rotation that could be causing the snap. |
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| Lap: 9/53 VER: 1’35.848 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Does not have overtake mode. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 19/53 VER: 1’35.587 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Piastri pitted from the lead, he’s now two seconds behind you. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 20/53 VER: 1’35.600 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Think about getting yourself some free overtake. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 21/53 VER: 1’36.124 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | I’m bleeding lap time when I get overtaken. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 22/53 VER: 2’01.756 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Okay, Safety Car deployed, Safety Car deployed. Dash positive. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Max, can you just confirm front flap update again, please? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Yeah, I can’t take more with this tyre. It’s not too bad. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Take one out? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | No, no, no. It’s fine like this. Verstappen pits |
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| Lap: 23/53 VER: 2’25.562 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | What happened? With the incident. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Bearman stopped, turn 13. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“If you’d let him through before 16 you could have had 0.5MJ extra”
Lambiase talked Verstappen through his recommendation regarding Piastri before the restart.
When the race resumed, Gasly had a snap oversteer at the exit of the chicane. That gave Verstappen a run at the Alpine, but he didn’t have enough power to get ahead.
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| Lap: 26/53 VER: 2’27.257, GAS: 2’26.896 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Yeah I’m warming up my brakes, they are not working. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Yep, that strat change should help as well. Your brakes are in temperature at the moment. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Just in case the opportunity presents itself again, what I meant by my message earlier about grabbing the overtake was, if you thought Piastri was going to come through, if it was inevitable that he was coming through, if you’d have let him through before 16, you could have had the half a megajoule extra. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Yeah, I copy. It’s just they were so much faster, it’s just a bit of a mess. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 27/53 VER: 2’19.224, GAS: 2’19.854 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | We’d expect the Safety Car to come in this lap. | Peckett | So we’d like a tyre warming, exit 14. A reminder of procedures there, so we’re staying strat one until lifting and braking for 16. Then strat seven, press and hold overtake down to one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Safety Car in this lap. Your first stint was 22 laps long. The tyres were still looking good. The pace was fine. There will be 26 racing laps. The race restarts |
Gasly | One now? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | No, no, no. Stay strat one now. I’d like one tyre warm… | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gasly | Speaks over him, acknowledges message Yep. |
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“Overtake is enabled”
There was little radio communication between Verstappen and Lambiase over the following laps as he tried to find another way past the Alpine. Gasly’s race engineer Josh Peckett reminded him to use his car’s “anti-overtake” facility when he needed to defend.
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| Lap: 28/53 VER: 1’36.011, GAS: 1’35.812 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Overtake is enabled | Peckett | Press and hold boost into turn one, next lap. Verstappen weak into one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 29/53 VER: 1’34.141, GAS: 1’34.096 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Good job, same again. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap behind 0.4. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 30/53 VER: 1’34.752, GAS: 1’34.792 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Again good job, keep it up. Anti-boost available if you need. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Seventh gear before 16. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 31/53 VER: 1’34.295, GAS: 1’33.999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Keep up that press and hold. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gaps stable, anti-overtake available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Could use boost this time, gap 0.4. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 32/53 VER: 1’34.128, GAS: 1’34.066 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Press and hold every lap, 22 to go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap stable. The anti-boost works well for deployment into one, keep that in our backpack, and we’re getting closer to Norris, good job. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 33/53 VER: 1’33.925, GAS: 1’33.823 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Good job. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 34/53 VER: 1’33.841, GAS: 1’34.021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Verstappen 0.8 behind only just has overtaken, focus on the plateau, exit six it will help. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | 0.8 to Verstappen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 35/53 VER: 1’33.861, GAS: 1’33.864 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap 0.6, press and hold still available if needed, 19 to go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Max main consistent strength, turn 11. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Good job, still points. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 36/53 VER: 1’33.970, GAS: 1’34.029 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Tyre’s good, energy’s conservative, all looking stable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Still 0.6. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 37/53 VER: 1’33.852, GAS: 1’33.839 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap stable, 0.5. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap stable, 0.6. Max’s deployment is helping him to 16 but he’s matching us into one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 38/53 VER: 1’34.052, GAS: 1’34.051 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | 16 to go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap stable, 0.6. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Okay mate there’s scope for 20 metres lift-off regen into 13. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“Easy to say, mate”
Eventually, Lambiase began to give Verstappen recommendations on how to wring more power from his battery. But Verstappen said the slight lap time advantage he appeared to have over the Alpine was not enough to help him get ahead.
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| Lap: 39/53 VER: 1’34.139, GAS: 1’33.691 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Exit of turn 14, click the green button after gear seven. It should mean that you end up at turn 16 with a bit more SOC. | Peckett | Tyres are balanced, all stable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap 0.7. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 40/53 VER: 1’33.988, GAS: 1’33.776 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | So Max by default, if you do click the green button, it’s then clicking the boost button out of turn 18. | Peckett | 14 to go, that lift off into 13 is there if you need it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap 0.8 and growing, good job. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Good work on that lift, that was good for us. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 41/53 VER: 1’33.552, GAS: 1’33.693 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | That was good, let’s do the same again. Verstappen no overtake now, 1.2 behind. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap one second. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 42/53 VER: 1’33.706, GAS: 1’33.891 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | We’re actually quicker than Piastri, Hamilton, Leclerc and Russell at the moment, Max, they are fighting. | Peckett | Verstappen used boost to try to get overtake and he didn’t, 1.1 behind still. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap stable one second, tyres all good. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 43/53 VER: 1’34.147, GAS: 1’34.329 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Yeah the Alpine is fast as well. | Peckett | Verstappen has overtake now, 0.9 behind. Happy to increase the lift into 13 slightly, another 10 or 20 metres. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | I think you’ve got two or three tenths on him, but I appreciate it’s difficult to overtake. | Peckett | Keep up going as you have been, you’ll be absolutely fine. If needed, still got that press-and-hold into one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Easy to say mate when you’re on the pit wall. It doesn’t help that much. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 44/53 VER: 1’34.215, GAS: 1’34.457 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap 0.5. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Nine laps to go at the end of this one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 45/53 VER: 1’34.346, GAS: 1’34.071 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Boost available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap back to 0.7. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Okay, so let’s work on the turn six plateau and the lift into 13 please, increase that. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 46/53 VER: 1’33.911, GAS: 1’33.861 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Yeah, I can’t get out of that final chicane. He has so much more traction. | Peckett | Gap stable, 0.7. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Keep up that lift into 13, target 70% throttle, exit turn six. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 47/53 VER: 1’33.886, GAS: 1’34.063 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Recommendation now is to press and hold boost. All the way out of turn 14, when you’re close enough. | Peckett | Seven laps to go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap stable, 0.7. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Max has been told to press and hold boost all the way out of 14. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 48/53 VER: 1’33.704, GAS: 1’34.619 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Six to go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Anti-boost still available if you need it as well. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Gap behind 0.6. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“At least we know it’s possible”
Eventually Verstappen resorted to using more of his battery to pass the Alpine between 130R and the chicane. But he knew that would leave him down on power at the start of the next lap and sure enough Gasly repassed him with ease.
Verstappen saw the ‘yoyo overtake’ coming and waved to his former team mate as he cruised past on the straight. Lambiase hoped this would give them a chance to attack on the final lap but Alpine saw it coming a mile off.
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| Lap: 49/53 VER: 1’35.043, GAS: 1’33.824 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Verstappen passes Gasly at exit of 130R Okay, risk is you get overtaken here, but at least we know it’s possible, and we can think about strategy. Verstappen waves as Gasly drives past him on the pit straight |
Peckett | Okay mate, so Max is obviously going to try the same again on the last lap, so we’ll be prepared for it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Alright, stick with him, we’ll do it on the last lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 52/53 VER: 1’33.973, GAS: 1’34.097 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Two more laps. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Verstappen follows Gasly out of the chicane to start the last lap Use boost if you’re close enough. |
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“It’s terrible, couldn’t get close”
Verstappen made a final attempt to attack Gasly at the chicane on the final lap but it was to no avail. Gasly, who had been quiet for much of the battle while Peckett fed him information, asked his engineer if he was pleased with the outcome.
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| Chequered flag | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Verstappen gets close to Gasly at the chicane Yeah, I tried. It’s just traction out of that final chicane, it’s terrible, couldn’t get close. |
Gasly | That’s what we call a hard-fought race. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mekies | Thanks Max, we know it was not fun, but we took a lot of learnings and it’s what we needed for doing the next weeks, so thanks for the efforts. | Peckett | Just a pick-up reminder and strat 13 please. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Yeah, I kept trying. Now we’ve got a month to analyse a lot of stuff. So yeah, we keep going. | Gasly | That was pretty intense. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | As heavy as you can be on the throttle pedal just to discharge the battery. Otherwise you’re free to use the boost button. | Peckett | Okay mate, just very quickly I need HPP 1, position 14 please, HPP1. position 14. HPP one position 14, that’s it. And strat 13, please strat 13. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gasly | Are you happy mate? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | I am now, yeah. Perfect, thank you for that. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gasly | Just wondering! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | No, sorry, I’m very happy. Just trying to get those in, we needed to. Well done. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gasly | Thank you, and likewise, thanks for the race, all the advice on the strats, battery, et cetera. Very well managed, and thanks to all the team and the guys for giving me such a very good car this weekend, so good progress, and yeah, got to keep going. But that’s a decent start of the year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peckett | Really good. Well done again. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2026 Japanese Grand Prix
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