A Suzuka Circuit returned to the Formula 1 calendar last weekend and presented a short but sweet race to fans and bettors. The rainy days saw Max Verstappen score his second Formula 1 title, but not after another mistake by the Scuderia. The eventful contest draws interesting 2022 Japanese Grand Prix Storylines that Nitrobetting shares in detail below.

With looming happenings coming from all directions, Nitrobetting shares the best 2022 Japanese Grand Prix storylines below.

Key Takeaways from the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix

The records keep tumbling for the mighty Max ????#F1 pic.twitter.com/SuDjg1zH2i

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 10, 2022

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Wet weather delays

The race was scheduled to get underway at 1400 local time, but the red flag showed just after two laps around the circuit. A lengthy delay followed the rain showers around the track, with the overall three-hour race limit ticked, and the two-hour window forced to come in following the planned start. Race Control had to wait things out for better conditions for the drivers before giving the grid the green light.

With roughly 50 minutes left on the race clock, the Safety Car exited the pit lane in front of the field for a planned rolling start. All cars were forced to run wet tires rather than the initial choice of intermediates. Suzuka eventually cleared up and the tire spray alleviated as the clock winded down as we saw intermediates return to the track towards the end of the race.

Catastrophic safety blunder

Formula 1’s safety procedures collapsed on Sunday at the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix in Pierre Gasly’s frightening near miss with a recovery truck on the track. It happened in the most treacherous of conditions on the first lap.

In an interview, the Frenchman said he feared for his life at the start of the race after he narrowly avoided crashing into a crane on the same race track where a good friend and countryman Jules Bianchi was killed in a similar incident.

It was one of several regulatory mishaps on a hectic and unpredictable weekend at Suzuka, and though it was the worst blunder of the day given its severity, another event handed Max Verstappen the championship one race early.

Carlos Sainz crashes out during the opening lap

Spanish driver Sainz looked in a prime position for a podium finish heading into the race. He lined up P3 on the grid on Sunday. However, his hard work in qualifying was null and void as he crashed out around Suzuka’s famous Turn 11. The Ferrari driver aquaplane and lost the rear of his car, hitting the barriers before the rest of the pack passed him.

Subsequent to his crash, Sainz said in an interview at the pits: “Basically, by the time we started the race we were on inters but the track was nearly into extreme conditions. I had no visibility, so I tried to get out of Checo’s [Sergio Perez’s] slipstream, or Checo’s water curtain, and suddenly I found myself in a puddle and had aquaplaning and lost the car.

“The more scary part came a bit later when I was stuck in the middle of the track, and I could see cars coming and I knew that they didn’t see I was there. Quite tricky and dangerous conditions out there right now so I’m not sure what is going to be the decision,” the 28-year-old added.

Max Verstappen claims second Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champions title

This F1: 2022 Japanese Grand Prix Storylines closes with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen clinching his second championship at the Japanese Grand Prix despite only running 28 laps versus a scheduled 53. With second-place Charles Leclerc handed a costly five-second penalty for cutting a chicane on the final lap as he tried to fend off a charging Sergio Perez, the Monegasque dropped to P3. The results gave Verstappen the points advantage he needed over rival Leclerc and Perez to claim the World Championship.

Verstappen’s dominance in the 2022 Formula 1 campaign contrasts last season’s close championship battle, where the 25-year-old and rival Lewis Hamilton went down the wire until the controversial final laps of the season-ender Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Reflecting on the disparity between his two titles, Verstappen believes that this one is sweeter than his first. In an interview with this year’s champion, the Dutchman explained: “I think the first one is always the most emotional, but I think this one is definitely the better one, just in terms of performance,”. “[There are] very different emotions,” he said.

“Last year, all the way till the last race is probably the worst kind of feeling, going into that last race. But also because at the time, I don’t think we were the quickest anymore, so that also doesn’t help.

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