Formula 1 returns to Asia this weekend as Suzuka plays host to the Japanese Grand Prix and the fourth race of the 2024 season.
The last grand prix in Australia threw up some surprises, with Max Verstappen retiring early on and Lewis Hamilton bowing out due to a mechanical failure too. Carlos Sainz picked up a brilliant victory for Ferrari, with team-mate Charles Leclerc securing a one-two finish for the Scuderia.
Lando Norris finished third to pick up McLaren’s first podium of the season, while Mercedes endured their first double DNF in five years after George Russell’s late crash, which resulted in Fernando Alonso’s post-race penalty.
With Red Bull’s F1 win-streak broken, Verstappen now only has a four-point lead at the top of the drivers’ championship to Leclerc - but will normal service resume this weekend at one of the sport’s most iconic and popular tracks?
Follow live updates from the Japanese Grand Prix with The Independent
