Sebastian Vettel topped off his final appearance at Suzuka with a points finish and the fans’ vote for the 2022 Japanese GP Driver of the Day.
The Aston Martin driver secured his 2011 Drivers’ Championship title with Red Bull at the circuit, and signed off from his time at the wheel in F1 in Japan with a 6th place finish.
The race, which was red flagged after three laps following a crash by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in sodden conditions and only restarted two hours later, was eventually won by Max Verstappen, which secured the Dutchman’s 2022 world championship title.
Verstappen needed to win the race and for Charles Leclerc to finish third or lower, which the Monegasque did after losing out to Sergio Perez for second after he made a mistake at the final chicane on the last lap and was handed a 5 second time penalty.
Verstappen wins second championship
There was some confusion after the race, as the shortened length and questions over Leclerc’s penalty meant that Verstappen crossed the line unaware that he had just won his second world championship title.
But with Leclerc’s penalty confirmed, demoting him to third, and the race eventually being judged by the FIA to have passed the threshold to award full points, the Red Bull driver was finally able to celebrate a second consecutive title.
