Pirelli F1 chief issues statement over 'boring' Japanese Grand Prix

Pirelli chief Mario Isola has issued a statement regarding last weekend's 'boring' Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix.

Despite a thrilling qualification session on Saturday which saw Max Verstappen produce a stunning final lap to clinch pole, the showpiece event failed to live up to the pre-race hype.

The Dutchman led from the front from start to finish, securing his first victory of the campaign ahead of title rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

And the lack of any tangible excitement for the fans to enjoy was noted during a discussion between the trio in the cooldown room following the race, with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton the only driver to gain a place in the top 10.

Pirelli chief Isola believed the criticism was over the top, but admitted it perhaps wasn't the spectacle many had hoped to see.

“When the top six on the grid take the chequered flag in the very same order, it’s easy to characterise the race as boring," he said.

"While I wouldn’t go so far as to say we witnessed the most thrilling show in the sport’s history, there was still some close racing."

Isola points to improved performance

The Italian continued: "You only have to look at the top three, separated by just 44 thousandths in qualifying and then finishing within two seconds of each other in the race.

“After a fairly cautious first part, especially through the first sector, the most demanding from a tyre perspective, in the second part, all the drivers pushed all the way to the end.

"In fact, 14 of the 20 drivers set their fastest lap in the final five laps. It’s worth noting that Antonelli’s time of 1’30”965 was 2”741 quicker than last year’s fastest race lap, set by Verstappen, which shows just how much the performance has improved compared to 2024."

Verstappen's win ensured the Dutchman closed the gap on championship leader Norris to just one point, while McLaren were able to extend their advantage at the top of the constructors' standings after picking up 33 points.

The season continues this weekend, with the Bahrain International Circuit set to stage round four.

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