Red Bull's Max Verstappen wins 2022 Formula One world championship at Japanese Grand Prix

Max Verstappen has been crowned 2022 FIA Formula One world champion after winning the Japanese Grand Prix and with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc picking up a five-second penalty.

The Red Bull Racing driver led the rain-hampered race at the Suzuka formula one track and won the timed dash over 24 seconds ahead of Leclerc, who was fighting off Verstappen's colleague Sergio Perez for the second place. 

In the last lap of the race, Leclerc went off the track and rejoined perilously close to Perez to retake the second position. And even though Leclerc went to cross the finishing line at the second spot, the race stewards handed him a five-second penalty for gaining an undue advantage by going off the track.

With this, Verstappen is now a two-time world champion. Following his win, Verstappen said: "It's crazy. There are mixed emotions. It's incredible. I am so thankful to all those who contributed to this. The work we have done together with Honda, to win the title twice with them, is emotional. Every year, the team has constantly been improving. It's good pressure, and its better that we are doing it here."

At the end of the Japanese Grand Prix, Verstappen sits on the top of the drivers' ranking with 366 points, followed by Perez (253), who zoomed ahead of Leclerc (252), capping off a fantastic weekend for the Red Bull Racing team. 

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner said he was truly grateful to Honda for their support in the earlier years and in 2022 as a supplier. Terming that result at Suzuka as unbelievable, Horner said the team did not expect to get enough points to win the driver's title in the race marred by a heavy downpour. 

Heaping praise upon Verstappen, Horner said that the Dutchman is currently at another level, considering that there are four more races this season. The party, though, will be much bigger the day Red Bull seals the 2022 constructors' title. We shall party in style then, Horner said.