Mattia Binotto vowed to protest against the "nonsense decision" to slap Charles Leclerc with a five-second time penalty for his over-zealous defending against Sergio Perez in the dying embers of the Japanese Grand Prix.
When Max Verstappen crossed the finish line, few expected him to have done enough to be crowned champion at Suzuka. He had not scored the extra point for fastest lap so, even with full points being handed out for a truncated race, the assumption was Leclerc had delayed his coronation by crossing the line second.
But the Monegasque was only able to do so after a desperate battle with Perez on the final lap. On the final corner he pushed the Red Bull wide to make sure he stayed ahead, but that move wasn't seen too kindly by the stewards.
