Max Verstappen has clinched his second straight F1 world title after winning the Japanese Grand Prix. Verstappen’s win gave him a place in the record books as he secured one of F1’s most dominant championship wins.

Only Michael Schumacher (2001 and 2004) and Sebastian Vettel (2011) have won a championship with four races still left to run.
Verstappen led the Suzuka race from start to finish but did not realize he had won the championship after taking the checkered flag.

“Yeah, it’s really a crazy feeling of course, because I didn’t expect when I crossed the line,” Verstappen said after the race. “You could see it slowly happening. It’s incredible that we did win it here.”

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The confusion stemmed from how many points would be awarded in a race that did not complete the full distance.

F1’s rules state that limited points are awarded when a race is red-flagged and cannot continue. Although the Suzuka race was red-flagged, it continued to a conclusion on track, so full points were awarded.

In the final laps, Verstappen was on his race radio asking Red Bull whether he should put for new tyres to go for the extra point available for the fastest lap.

source espn.com