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.

By Adrian Bishop For Mailonline

Updated: 10:42 EDT, 2 September 2023

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Researchers have uncovered another side effect of pandemic lockdowns and travel bans – a surge in ‘drivers’ anxiety’.

A survey found that a quarter of people are driving less than they did during the pandemic, and the majority say it’s because they are more anxious about getting behind the wheel.

Of those who reported driving anxiety, 47 percent felt that driving less during the pandemic caused their driving abilities to deteriorate, and 58 percent were more concerned about other drivers.

The unprecedented lockdowns and working-from-home orders ushered in during Covid caused millions to switch to remote work and ditch their daily commutes to and from the office.

World champion F1 drivers Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton, who admits being nervous on civilian roads, have shared their advice for conquering highway jitters with DailyMail.com.

The new survey was commissioned by the driving training company Aceable.

It found that, as of April 2022, 41 percent of people are driving the same amount that they did before March 2020, 32 percent are driving more, and 27 percent are driving less.

Of the people driving less than they did before the pandemic, 53 percent reported feeling more anxious about driving than they did before March 2020.

Additionally, road rage incidents also contributed to nervousness. 

Nearly two-thirds of drivers reported they felt more road rage than before the pandemic and 68 percent reported experiencing more road rage from other drivers. 

Joanne Mallon, author of How to Overcome Fear of Driving, offers a possible explanation: ‘The pandemic itself was a prolonged period of stress. 

‘Such major life changes can cause anxiety. It also stopped many people from driving for months. People lost the habit of maneuvering busy roads and their confidence.’ 

To combat the rise in driving anxiety, professional race car drivers offered their advice on how they relax before climbing into the driver’s seat. 

Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel said they practice breathing techniques or listen to music beforehand. 

‘If you get the breathing right, it just helps you flow through it. Everything comes more naturally and seems less stressful when you’re taking the time to give your body the oxygen it needs’, Hamilton told DailyMail.com.

In 2022, Hamilton opened up about the anxiety he faced after losing his eighth WC trophy.

Hamilton said in his Instagram story: ‘It’s been such a tough year already with everything that is happening around us. 

‘I have struggled mentally and emotionally for a long time, to keep going is a constant effort, but we have to keep fighting, we have so much to do and to achieve.’

If Hamilton’s advice isn’t for you, Verstappen recommends doing something fun, such as playing a game, before sitting in the driver’s seat to beat the rising sense of anxiety.

Performing an activity you like before driving not only helps you to stop thinking about your worries but also gives you a sense of achievement and boosts your confidence.

Lastly, Vettel advises drivers with anxiety to listen to music, saying it can make all the difference.

Listening to music you enjoy is a great way to feel less stressed, and when you listen to your favorite music in a calm place, you connect it with positive feelings. This connection can help you stay calm and relaxed when you hear those songs in more stressful times, such as when driving.

Among other advice the champions recommended were exercising, staying hydrated and practicing how to drive.

Max Verstappen left in disbelief as his F1 winner’s trophy is BROKEN again for a second race running – one week after Lando Norris’ podium gaffe

• Max Verstappen’s Belgian Grand Prix trophy was damaged during a team photo
• Blunder marks second race running that the Dutchman’s gong has been broken
• Lando Norris smashed a champagne bottle on his trophy from the Hungaroring

By Adrian Bishop For Mailonline

Updated: 07:47 EDT, 31 July 2023

By James Cohen For Mailonline

Published: 10:00 EDT, 30 June 2023 | Updated: 10:04 EDT, 30 June 2023

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By Samuel Draper For Mailonline

Published: 12:55 EDT, 18 June 2023 | Updated: 15:23 EDT, 18 June 2023

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Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc starts on pole in Baku after pipping Max Verstappen… but will there be fireworks between Dutchman and George Russell after ‘d***head’ bust-up?

By Ryan Walker For Mailonline

Published: 06:00 EDT, 30 April 2023 | Updated: 06:39 EDT, 30 April 2023