Verstappen praised after feat "Senna, Schumacher and Hamilton couldn't match"

Former Williams Formula 1 team manager Peter Windsor has praised Max Verstappen's race management after achieving a feat that "Senna, Schumacher and Hamilton could not match".

The Red Bull driver led from the front at the Japanese Grand Prix to beat Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to victory, the first non-McLaren grand prix win of the season.

Verstappen's result was born from his stunning pole lap on Saturday, allowing him to dictate the pace with overtaking coming at a premium on Sunday.

"It was Max Verstappen who effortlessly emerged with the RB21 and won his fourth consecutive Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, a feat even [Ayrton] Senna, [Michael] Schumacher, and [Lewis] Hamilton could not match," said Windsor in his post-race analysis.

"I think it was mainly the way Max drove the lap that earned him the Grand Prix victory. He didn't emphasize the esses because they are not decisive for a lap at Suzuka. It's impossible to overtake there, so he saved his tyres."

"[Lando] never seemed to change in that area," Windsor added, pointing to the McLaren driver's struggles at the hairpin. "That's why Max could always create a bit of distance from Lando."

Windsor saw 'instinctive' Verstappen in Japan

"It was just incredibly managed, he also stayed so calm," added Windsor, pointing to Verstappen's in-race demeanour.

"You don't get much management from Max on the radio, he just does it himself. It's instinctive. And that's also so nice to see - what a victory."

"To win the race in the colours of Honda - white with red, [a livery] that has been there since 1964, when they first entered Formula 1 with their own team.

"To then win the last Red Bull Grand Prix in Japan with a Honda engine was just a fitting end, especially in April, especially with the blossoms at Suzuka. What a great weekend it was for Honda-Red Bull."