History was rewritten at Suzuka during the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix. While the race didn’t deliver the drama on track that the circuit has historically offered, it rewrote the record books. From Verstappen’s relentless grip on victory in Honda’s backyard to a teenage rookie rewriting age-old milestones, Suzuka served up a masterclass in an open season that many thought McLaren would dominate. Here are all the stats, streaks, and historic firsts defining one of the 2025 season’s earliest race weekends.
What To Know?
- Max Verstappen made history with his fourth consecutive win at Suzuka, becoming the first driver to do so and matching his own streak at Yas Marina; Red Bull also became the most successful team at the circuit with eight wins.
- Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli shattered two records, becoming the youngest race leader and the youngest driver to set a fastest lap in F1 history, while also scoring points in his first three races — a feat last achieved by Lewis Hamilton.
- Fernando Alonso equalled Michael Schumacher’s record for most Japanese Grand Prix starts, marking his 19th appearance at Suzuka in a race where he finally saw the chequered flag in the 2025 season.
- Notable grid-wide stats included McLaren achieving a record 26 podiums at Suzuka, Leclerc reaching 150 Grand Prix starts, Albon ending a three-race DNF streak at the circuit, and Oliver Bearman scoring Haas’s first Suzuka points since 2018.
Four on the Bounce: Verstappen’s Suzuka Supremacy
Max Verstappen claimed his 64th career victory with a commanding performance at the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, marking his first win of the season and extending his dominance at Suzuka. Starting from pole position, Verstappen delivered a flawless drive at Honda’s home circuit in what would be the manufacturer’s final season with Red Bull Racing before its upcoming partnership with Aston Martin for the 2026 F1 World Championship and beyond.
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This latest triumph marked Verstappen’s fourth consecutive win at the Japanese Grand Prix, following victories in 2022, 2023, and 2024. His 2022 win secured him his second drivers’ title. Now, in 2025, Verstappen becomes the first driver in Formula One history to win four times in a row at Suzuka.
He was now the 11th driver in F1 history to achieve four consecutive wins at a single circuit, equalling a personal record: Verstappen also won four back-to-back races at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi between 2020 and 2023.
With this latest result, Verstappen joined Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel as a four-time winner at Suzuka. Only Michael Schumacher, with six victories, stood above them.
Red Bull Racing, too, made history, becoming the first team to win eight races at the iconic Japanese circuit. They now moved ahead of both McLaren and Ferrari, who each had seven victories at Suzuka.
Antonelli Sets Record as Youngest F1 Race Leader
Mercedes’ rising star Kimi Antonelli made headlines with a composed and tactical drive to sixth place, finishing just behind teammate George Russell. But Antonelli wrote his name into the F1 history books during a key phase of the race.
At 18 years and 224 days, Antonelli became the youngest driver ever to lead a Formula 1 race, eclipsing the previous record held by Max Verstappen by a margin of three days. The record-breaking moment came after an impressive stint on medium tyres, allowing him to inherit the lead as rivals ahead made their pit stops.
This milestone added to Antonelli’s growing legacy as the young Italian continued to make a strong impression in his debut season. The record Verstappen previously set came during his breakthrough win at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix—making this an especially symbolic changing of the guard.
Antonelli Claims Record as Youngest Fastest Lap Holder
Antonelli’s breakout weekend didn’t end there. He also recorded the fastest lap of the Japanese Grand Prix, making him the youngest driver in F1 history to do so. While no championship point was awarded for fastest lap—following the rule change implemented for the 2025 season—it remained an impressive accolade.
This performance further cemented Antonelli’s name among elite company. He also matched a feat last achieved by Lewis Hamilton in 2007, becoming only the second driver in F1 history to score points in each of his first three Grand Prix starts.
The 18-year-old post-race sat fifth in the 2025 Drivers’ Championship standings after three rounds—a remarkable start for one of the sport’s most anticipated rookies in years.
The only stat he wasn’t able to beat was becoming the youngest-ever race winner. That accolade remained intact for Max Verstappen. In his first race with Red Bull at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen made history by becoming the youngest-ever Formula One race winner at 18 years and 228 days old. Had Antonelli won he would have beaten the record by 4 days.
Nineteen and Counting: Alonso Equals Schumacher at Suzuka
Veteran driver Fernando Alonso had a more rewarding outing in Japan, finally completing a race distance after a difficult start to the 2025 season.
But beyond the chequered flag, Alonso achieved a notable milestone by matching Michael Schumacher’s record for most race starts at Suzuka. Both drivers had now started the Japanese Grand Prix on 19 occasions, a testament to Alonso’s enduring presence and longevity in the sport.
Though Aston Martin continued to seek greater performance gains, Alonso’s personal milestong is a reminder of his incredible two-decade-plus career in Formula 1.
Facts from Suzuka Across The Grid
While the spotlight rightly shone on Verstappen’s dominance and Antonelli’s record-breaking drive, the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix also brought a host of important milestones and statistical landmarks from across the field:
- McLaren cemented their status as Suzuka specialists, with both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finishing on the podium. This result brought McLaren’s all-time podium tally at Suzuka to 26, making them the most successful constructor at the circuit in terms of podium finishes, surpassing all rivals in the process.
- Charles Leclerc marked a major career milestone, with the Japanese Grand Prix becoming his 150th Formula 1 start.
- Alex Albon brought an end to a frustrating streak, with his P9 finish breaking a run of three consecutive retirements at Suzuka.
- Oliver Bearman delivered a breakthrough result for Haas, scoring P10 and securing the team’s first points at Suzuka since 2018. The young British driver continued to impress in his debut season and gave Haas a much-needed morale boost early in the campaign.
The 2025 F1 Season Marched On
The 2025 Japanese Grand Prix delivered more than just thrilling on-track action—it also provided a showcase of historical milestones, with legends like Verstappen and Alonso adding to their legacies, and the next generation, led by Antonelli, beginning to make their mark.
As the season continued to unfold, Suzuka will be remembered as the race that bridged generations, broke records, and wrote yet another chapter in Formula 1 history—despite not being a blockbuster race.
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