Kimi Antonelli made it back-to-back wins with victory at the Japanese Grand Prix, ahead of Oscar Piastri in second and Charles Leclerc in third.
In a race with a safety car, there are always drivers who emerge better or worse off from the intervention alone, changing the entire picture of the contest.
Here, Sport Just Sport writer Ella Magyar gives her winners and losers from a controversial race at Suzuka.
Winner – Kimi Antonelli
Antonelli not only won the race this weekend, but also hit a jackpot of luck.
The Italian’s weekend started strong with another pole position, but he yet again dropped a handful of places at the start, leaving him in sixth place.
He began to progress through the field slowly and was the fastest man on track after those in front had pitted onto fresher tyres.
His luck came through on lap 22 when a safety car was brought out for Oliver Bearman, who had ended up in the wall.
Yet to pit, Antonelli took his new tyres under the safety car, enabling him to keep track position in first.
After the safety car was called in, he was dominant and cruised home in first place, finishing 13.7 seconds ahead of Piastri.
That result saw Antonelli break more records, becoming the only teenager to win multiple races and lead a championship in F1.
READ MORE: Japanese GP: Kimi Antonelli makes F1 history with Suzuka victory to seize title lead
Loser – George Russell
Russell’s problems began during qualifying when the team made an error with his set-up.
Unfortunately, this would be carried into the race due to parc fermé.
The Briton’s start was also less than desirable as he dropped from second to fourth on lap one.
This didn’t last long, though, as Russell was already back into second by lap four.
He eventually pitted on lap 21 from second place, and this is where his hopes of winning the race would soon end.
Just moments after Russell emerged from the pits, the safety car was deployed, allowing those in front to get a cheap pit stop and keep their track position, dropping him back to third.
Russell’s woes continued when a battery issue allowed both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to pass him without contest.
He managed to get back past Hamilton to finish in fourth place but was unable to challenge Leclerc for the podium.
The unfortunate timing of the safety car derailed Russell’s race.
Winner – Oscar Piastri
Having not started a Grand Prix this season, Piastri came into this weekend with a point to prove.
Things started well as he managed to qualify in third, putting his McLaren on the second row.
Piastri improved on this in the race, making a lightning-fast start and bolting into first by the first corner.
Running out front, despite a temporary switch of position with Russell on lap eight, Piastri looked relatively comfortable in the lead until he pitted for fresh tyres on lap 18.
Subsequently in fourth until the safety car was deployed, Piastri was yet another loser from the intervention, with some saying it certainly cost him the race win.
Nevertheless, Piastri drove a brilliant and controlled race, which saw him clinch a podium on his first start of the year and win the fan-voted Driver of the Day award.
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Loser – Red Bull
Another weekend, another poor showing from Red Bull.
Their issues began in qualifying, producing a shock Q2 exit for Max Verstappen, who ended in 11th.
Team-mate Isack Hadjar was able to do a little better and qualified in eighth.
In the race, however, Hadjar immediately lost a place and continued to drop down the order.
His race was ultimately defined by a battle for 12th place with Nico Hülkenberg, scoring no points.
Verstappen’s race wasn’t much better.
Although he managed to make up some places at the start and finish in the points, Verstappen spent most of the race stuck behind the Alpine of Pierre Gasly.
Verstappen finally managed to pass Gasly on lap 48, but Gasly got him back on the next straight with ease as Verstappen had used all his battery.
The four-time world champion jokingly and sarcastically waved at Gasly as he re-passed him.
That sums up the poor weekend Red Bull displayed yet again.
Winner – Pierre Gasly
The start of Gasly’s season has been impressive, and his performance in Japan solidified his current position as best of the rest.
Once again, Gasly managed to qualify and finish ahead of both Red Bulls this weekend.
Starting in seventh, he ended in seventh, holding off a four-time world champion whilst his team-mate was down in 16th.
His efforts have also pushed Alpine into fifth position, ahead of Red Bull, in the constructors’ championship.
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Loser – Williams
Williams’ performance was so underwhelming that their race ended up being a fourth practice session for the team.
Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon qualified in 16th and 17th, respectively.
Sainz managed to gain a place at the start of the race briefly before losing it to Bearman, and Albon lost a place, leaving them in 16th and 18th.
They spent almost the entire race in this formation until Bearman’s crash promoted them one place each in an otherwise anonymous showing.
And towards the end of the day, the team had clearly accepted defeat.
On lap 46, running in 17th, Albon made a series of five extra pit stops, experimenting with the front wing and other things, essentially turning the race into an FP4 session.
It was another poor showing from the team, and some serious work needs to be done over the break if they want to become competitive again.
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SportJustSport writers