- Red Bull hoping to record third win of the season at the Japanese Grand Prix
- Max Verstappen triumphant last time out in Malaysia at Sepang
- Daniel Ricciardo will hope to add to Azerbaijan victory earlier in season
- READ: More F1 news, features and points tables
Max Verstappen may have cruised to victory at last weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, but it appears the Dutchman’s first win of the season has caught up with him.
There was little time to celebrate for the 20-year-old as back-to-back races means the Red Bull star has flown out with the team to Suzuka ready to compete in this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Verstappen took the opportunity to catch a few winks of sleep on the flight.
Daniel Ricciardo poses for a selfie with sleeping Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen
The Red Bull team-mates pose with swords in the build up to the Japanese Grand Prix
But Daniel Ricciardo wasn’t about to let the opportunity pass without notice as Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate took a sneaky selfie on the flight alongside his napping team-mate.
Upon landing the duo then posed for a photoshoot with swords as the duo prepare for battle at Suzuka in the 16th round of the world championship.
Ricciardo’s focus wasn’t all on getting the better of Verstappen, as the 28-year-old also took time out with Williams driver Felipe Massa to visit Tokyo’s sushi bar Sukiyabashi Jiro.
With Red Bull’s pace encouragingly strong last time out in Sepang, Ricciardo will be hoping to add to his win in Azerbaijan from earlier this season as the Australian aims to narrow the gap to Valtteri Bottas in the standings.
Ricciardo poses with fellow F1 star Felipe Massa at the Sukiyabashi Jiro sushi restaurant
| DRIVER | TEAM | WINS | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 7 | 281 |
| 2. Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 4 | 247 |
| 3. Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 2 | 222 |
| 4. Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull | 1 | 177 |
| 5. Kimi Raikkonen | Ferrari | 0 | 138 |
| 6. Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1 | 93 |
The Mercedes driver sits one place above Ricciardo in third but holds a 45-point advantage with just five races remaining.
Verstappen meanwhile goes into the final few fly-away races with momentum.
In Sepang the Dutchman grabbed his first win of a troubled season where a series of first-lap collisions and mechanical gremlins see him a lie a disappointing sixth in the championship.
Verstappen won the Malaysia Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton second and Ricciardo third