It's often said that Max Verstappen needs a strong team-mate to back him up during the races. With McLaren having two drivers capable of fighting at the front, they should be able to simply outsmart Red Bull and its leader with strategy.
But that's just theory. In practice, it doesn't always work, as the Japanese GP proved: despite the pace advantage, Verstappen managed to hold on to his lead throughout the 53-lap race, turning his qualifying performance into the first victory in 2025.
