Revenge is a dish best served cold? Based on the evidence here in Japan, Max Verstappen isn’t a believer of that mantra.

No, this was a blistering retaliation. On the searing tarmac at Suzuka, Verstappen, as he has done on 12 separate occasions already this season, scorched his opposition. Perhaps those doubters would rather ‘suck on an egg’ than dare question the Dutchman again.

Verstappen, clear-minded after his Singapore blip and a drubbing of chief engineer Gianpiero Lambiase at padel tennis, arrived in Suzuka ready to send a message.

But where he’s shown a willingness to go toe-to-toe with rivals in the past in an obstinate slugfest, this was a punishing, one-sided, beatdown. He was the first driver on the track on Friday morning and hasn’t looked back, a gruelling 12-round demolition where he’s walked away without a bruise in sight.

Although an opportunistic Lando Norris attempted to surprise his close friend at lights out when he seized a gap left open by Verstappen. The Dutchman, pre-occupied by the Briton’s McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, gave way to Norris, but snatched back the lead and Piastri was pushed down to third.

That exchange, however brief, left Norris optimistic. ‘We’re coming for Red Bull,’ he said after the chequered flag as Christian Horner and his team celebrated their sixth constructors’ championship. ‘We’re not close to Max, but we’re not miles away. We’re pushing, we’re getting there.’

An explosive start gave way to a subdued following four laps, with the safety car deployed after Valtteri Bottas damaged his Alfa Romeo. 

His day went from bad to worse when the crash-prone Logan Sargeant shunted him into the gravel. ‘What the f***!?’ was the perplexed Finn’s response. Both drivers retired from the race, two of five men to bow out prematurely.

Bottas’s former teammate Lewis Hamilton had his hands full with new Mercedes partner George Russell. Hamilton, resembling a third member of Daft Punk in his special edition chrome helmet, challenged his young teammate to a game of chicken as they soared down the home straight side-by-side. It was Russell who twitched first and relented.

The battle resumed at Spoon Curve when Russell sought to seize upon a gap offered by Hamilton. The seven-time champion forced his teammate off the track, in a carbon copy of the incident that he fell victim to in his fight with Max Verstappen in Brazil two years ago.

‘Who are we trying to fight here, each other or the others?’ Russell fumed on the radio. Toto Wolff, watching on from Monaco while recuperating from a knee surgery, was surely tearing his hair out.

Tensions were bubbling elsewhere as Norris too bellowed his frustrations down the team radio after losing his position to Piastri, who pitted for hard tyres under the virtual safety car. ‘What’s he doing?’ Norris moaned. 

‘It’s just ruining the race now.’ The Australian may be a future star of the sport but he was shown in no uncertain terms that he is still very much the No. 2 at McLaren, and duly moved aside, although a first podium here will have softened the blow.

Chaos ensued in the pitlane as disarray surrounded Verstappen’s confidence-battered Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez. The Mexican, perhaps eager to take an early flight home from Tokyo, bowed out on Lap 15 but, having knocked Kevin Magnussen off course, was slapped with a five-second penalty by the stewards.

Red Bull, keen for him not to serve it in Qatar, pushed him back onto the track 26 laps later before bringing him back in for good. ‘Retire the car’, a defeated Perez pleaded during that bizarre stint.

Part three of the Hamilton-Russell dogfight provided a thrilling conclusion. Russell, in front of Hamilton due to a one-stop strategy, stubbornly refused to give up his position. ‘That’s an order, George,’ came the response from the garage. ‘So, we’re playing the team game now?’ Russell hit back as he retreated. 

Mercedes, attempting to emulate Sainz’s DRS genius in Singapore, tried to hold the Ferrari driver back but Hamilton was unable to keep Russell within range and the Spaniard passed.

‘We wasted all that time for no reason,’ Hamilton despaired.

But out in front there was not a moment spared by Verstappen on this Sunday procession, a man in a rush to secure world title No 3 in two weeks’ time in Qatar. Perhaps as he crossed the line the words of Mark Twain ran through his mind.

‘Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.’ More likely, a Dutch-inspired egg retort.

For the first time in eight decades, explorers have pictured a Japanese aircraft carrier sunk during World War II‘s Battle of Midway. 

Japan‘s aircraft carrier Akagi was pictured for the first time since it disappeared under the water in 1942 during the battle that helped during the Pacific campaign in America’s favor.  

‘This expedition is not only rewriting history and our understanding of these special places, but also pushing the limits of what we thought was possible in terms of interdisciplinary collaboration,’ said Daniel Wagner, chief scientist for Ocean Exploration Trust. 

The trust led the exploration efforts from September 8 to September 12 to photograph the Akagi along with other vessels sunken during the pivotal battle that saw 3,000 Japanese fighters perish. 

The group also surveyed in detail the USS Yorktown, which was the lone US carrier sunk during Midway and not found until 25 years ago. 

The Battle of Midway began on June 4, 1942, and lasted until the 7th. The naval campaign has gone down in US lore for its ability to flip the momentum in America’s favor. 

Four Japanese aircraft carriers -including the Akagi, Kaga, Soryu and Hiryu – were sunk along with a heavy cruiser. The Americans lost the carrier Yorktown and the destroyer Hammmann. 

The loss of the four carriers by Japan proved difficult to overcome. The Imperial Empire also lost well-trained pilots in the battle. Meanwhile, America’s industrial capabilities grew allowing it to replace the losses. 

In total, Japan lost more than 3,000 men during the fight. The US lost only 362,  

The sunken ships were lost to the sea for years, until deep-sea explorers helped find some of the ships. 

The Akagi was found in 2019, but this month’s exploration marked the first complete survey of the vessel. 

Japanese aircraft carriers – the Soryu and Hiryu – and the cruiser Mikuma are still unaccounted for.

The USS Yorktown was discovered three miles below the surface in May 1998 The USS Yorktown was discovered 25 years ago in May 1998 during a joint US Navy and National Geographic Society expedition led by Robert Ballard, the founder of Ocean Exploration Trust, in conjunction with the Navy.

For the most recent exploration, remote-controlled vehicles were utilized to capture images of the shipwrecks with  the mission involving more than 100 experts from various countries who ‘helped guide the mission and providing valuable real-time interpretations throughout the surveys.’ 

The expedition team also conducted ‘non-invasive visual surveys’ of the wrecks during three deployments at depths exceeding 16,700 feet – the deepest remotely operated vehicle dive ever completed by the Exploration Vessel Nautilus.

‘On this occasion, we meet on those same Pacific waters in which Japan and the U.S. once met in battle, but this time as allies and fellow researchers,’ said Kosei Nomura, Minister, Head of Economic Section, Embassy of Japan. 

‘We are reminded that today’s peace and tomorrow’s discoveries are built on the sacrifices of war, and so in my view, it is meaningful that Japan and the U.S. are now deepening their cooperation at Midway, utilizing such cutting-edge technology.’

‘During over 43 hours at depth, we methodically circumnavigated these historic wrecks, bringing to light many features in great detail, including their armament, battle, and sinking-related damage,’ said Daniel Wagner, the chief scientist for the Ocean Exploration Trust. 

The wrecks were meticulously examined and included looking for damage related to battles they fought and their subsequent and sinking. 

‘Many anti-aircraft guns were still pointing up, providing clues about the final moments on these iconic ships,’ Wagner explained.

Each dive ended with poignant ceremonies paying tribute to those who lost their lives in the Battle of Midway. 

Frank Thompson, a historian with the Naval History and Heritage Command in Washington, D.C., who is onboard the Petrel said: ‘We read about the battles, we know what happened. But when you see these wrecks on the bottom of the ocean and everything, you kind of get a feel for what the real price is for war.

‘You see the damage these things took, and it’s humbling to watch some of the video of these vessels because they’re war graves.’ 

Retired Navy Capt. Jack Crawford, who died in April 2022 at the age of 103, was among the Yorktown’s 2,270 survivors.

Japanese dive bombers left the Yorktown badly damaged, with black smoke gushing from its stacks, but the vessel was still upright. Then the torpedoes hit, Crawford recounted in an interview about the battle.

‘Bam! Bam! We get two torpedoes, and I know we’re in trouble. As soon as the deck edge began to go under, I knew . she wasn’t going to last,’ said Crawford, whose later military career was with the naval nuclear propulsion program.

The Yorktown sank slowly, and a destroyer was able to pick up Crawford and many others.

‘An important part of our mission here at the Naval History and Heritage Command is to locate, interpret, and protect lost U.S. Navy ships and aircraft, particularly those that represent the last resting place of American sailors,’ said Samuel Cox, Director of the Naval History and Heritage Command, and one of the explorers to photograph the Yorktown during the recent mission.

The entire exploration of the Midway ships was streamed live in real-time, giving the public its first chance to see the vessels along with researchers. 

The surveys were non-invasive at about 16,600 feet below the surface. 

It is illegal to otherwise disturb the underwater US military gravesites, and their exact coordinates are kept secret. The battle was found about 1,000 miles from Hawaii at about the halfway point between Japan and the US. 

The exploration effort involved more than 100 experts from US, Japan and across the globe.

The goal of the exploration was to help document and assess the important site for both America and Japan. 

During the battle, American forces broke Japan’s naval code and prepare for a counter attack. That allowed the US the upper hand in what became a turning point in the war. 

By Shania Obrien For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 22:42 EDT, 20 August 2023 | Updated: 05:15 EDT, 21 August 2023

A Japanese man who dresses in his bespoke collie costume has said that online trolls are making fun of his desire to be a dog.

Known only as Toco, the man spent two million Yen – which equates to £12,480 – on a lifelike costume to fulfil his lifelong fantasy of ‘becoming an animal’. 

Toco waited for 40 days before the special suits and makeup company Zeppet finished his dog costume and he finally realised his dream.

In some of his most recent updates to his almost 30,000 YouTube subscribers, Toco was seen playing in his backyard – on all fours – and attempting to perform tricks in exchange for fake dog food.

But he also recently ventured into the outside world to meet other people and animals for the first time.

In a pair of surreal videos posted to his YouTube channel ‘I want to be an animal’, Toco is first seen being taken out for a walk on a leash, and is later seen sniffing at other dogs in a park before rolling around on the floor.

Toco has now claimed that he is being bullied online. 

One Twitter user said: ‘A Japanese man spent over $20K for this border collie costume. You cannot convince me this isn’t some weird sex thing.

‘Men will literally spend $20,000 to transform into a border collie instead of going to therapy.’

Responding to the comments, Toco said: ‘I’m just sad that people can think that. I love animals and enjoy play-acting like a collie. This is my hobby, so I will carry on. It makes me happy and other people happy, too.’

Toco’s antics were seemingly well-received in the video by passers-by and other dogs, who seemed inquisitive above all else.

But despite having built a cult following, Toco is not yet ready to take off his mask.

Toco told MailOnline in May last year: ‘Ever since I was a small child, I wanted to be an animal. I think it is a desire to transform.

‘I’ve thought about it since I can remember.’

The dog-lover said he has hidden his identity and his human face from the world because he doesn’t want to be judged by people he knows. 

‘I don’t want my hobbies to be known,’ he said, ‘especially by the people I work with.’

‘They think it’s weird that I want to be a dog. For the same reason why I can’t show my real face.’

Then late last year, Toco told the Mirror he’s still not yet built up enough confidence to tell some of his closest friends about his hobby.

‘I rarely tell my friends because I am afraid they will think I am weird,’ he said. ‘My friends and family seemed very surprised to learn I became an animal.’ 

Toco said he enjoys ‘doing things that only dogs do’.

In September, Toco first attempted an outdoor walk. He said in a YouTube video documenting the experience he felt ‘nervous and a little scared’.

‘I’m wearing a leash because people are surprised when they see me. I’m very nervous,’ he said in the video.

‘Do you remember your dreams from when you are little? You want to be a hero or a wizard.

‘I remember writing in my grade school graduation book that I wanted to be a dog and walk outside.’ 

He noted how nice the wind felt in his fur, and rolled in the grass in his backyard.

Toco said he wears sandals to protect his feet and the bottom of the costume from getting dirty, after spending almost £13,000 getting it custom-made.  

His now viral videos have attracted like-minded fans, with one saying: ‘You inspire us to fulfil our dreams too.’

Another wrote: ‘I hope I become the animal I want to be as well. You’re an inspiration to us.’

Japanese company Zeppet, which creates costumes for TV commercials and films, spent 40 days making the outfit.

A spokesman said: ‘Modelled after a collie dog, it reproduces the appearance of a real dog walking on four legs.’ 

A dog lover who has achieved internet fame for his desire to ‘become an animal’ has taken his first steps outside dressed head to toe in a bespoke collie costume worth more than £12,000. 

Known only as Toco, the man spent two million Yen – which equates to £12,480 – on a lifelike costume to fulfil his lifelong fantasy of ‘becoming an animal’.

In some of his most recent updates to his almost 30,000 YouTube subscribers, Toco was seen playing in his backyard – on all fours – and attempting to perform tricks in exchange for fake dog food.

But he has now ventured into the outside world to meet other people and animals for the first time.

In a pair of surreal videos posted to his YouTube channel ‘I want to be an animal’, Toco is first seen being taken out for a walk on a leash, and is later seen sniffing at other dogs in a park before rolling around on the floor.

Toco’s antics were seemingly well-received in the video by passers-by and other dogs, who seemed inquisitive above all else.

But despite having built a cult following, Toco is not yet ready to take off his mask.

Toco told MailOnline in May last year: ‘Ever since I was a small child, I wanted to be an animal. I think it is a desire to transform.

‘I’ve thought about it since I can remember.’

The dog-lover said he has hidden his identity and his human face from the world because he doesn’t want to be judged by people he knows. 

‘I don’t want my hobbies to be known,’ he said, ‘especially by the people I work with.’

‘They think it’s weird that I want to be a dog. For the same reason why I can’t show my real face.’

Then late last year, Toco told the Mirror he’s still not yet built up enough confidence to tell some of his closest friends about his hobby.

‘I rarely tell my friends because I am afraid they will think I am weird,’ he said. ‘My friends and family seemed very surprised to learn I became an animal.’ 

Toco said he enjoys ‘doing things that only dogs do’.

In September, Toco first attempted an outdoor walk. He said in a YouTube video documenting the experience he felt ‘nervous and a little scared’.

‘I’m wearing a leash because people are surprised when they see me. I’m very nervous,’ he said in the video.

‘Do you remember your dreams from when you are little? You want to be a hero or a wizard.

‘I remember writing in my grade school graduation book that I wanted to be a dog and walk outside.’

He noted how nice the wind felt in his fur, and rolled in the grass in his backyard.

Toco said he wears sandals to protect his feet and the bottom of the costume from getting dirty, after spending almost £13,000 getting it custom-made.  

His now viral videos have attracted like-minded fans, with one saying: ‘You inspire us to fulfil our dreams too.’

Another wrote: ‘I hope I become the animal I want to be as well. You’re an inspiration to us.’

Japanese company Zeppet, which creates costumes for TV commercials and films, spent 40 days making the outfit.

A spokesman said: ‘Modelled after a collie dog, it reproduces the appearance of a real dog walking on four legs.’ 

Japanese paying experts to train them how to SMILE because they have forgotten how to after three years of Covid masks

• Many fear they’ve forgotten how to smile after wearing a mask for three years
• To help them beam again, many are turning to experts to rediscover their smile

By Christian Oliver

Published: 10:58 EDT, 9 May 2023 | Updated: 14:03 EDT, 9 May 2023