Red Bull's Verstappen posts first F1 victory of the season at Suzuka

SUZUKA, Japan — Max Verstappen of Red Bull won Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix and broke a "mini-slump" of just two wins in his previous 16 races.

It was the Dutch driver's fourth straight victory on the Suzuka circuit in central Japan, and breaks the momentum of McLaren drivers Briton Lando Norris and Australian Oscar Piastri, who won the season's first two races in Melbourne and Shanghai, respectively.

The four-time defending Formula One champion, Verstappen started from pole position after setting a course-record time in qualifying, which he called "insane".