Max Verstappen undermines Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri with bold McLaren claim

Max Verstappen has claimed he would have been out of sight in the Japanese Grand Prix had he been racing for McLaren.

The Red Bull driver eased to victory at Suzuka ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who rounded out the podium positions.

It was a win born from his mesmerising qualifying display to snatch pole away from the McLaren duo.

That performance laid the groundwork for Verstappen to produce a shock result given the pace advantage the constructors' champions currently enjoy over the Milton Keynes-based squad.

Reflecting on the result and after talking down the 'Verstappen factor' in his triumph, the 64-time grand prix winner found a way to get in a slight dig at the Woking team, which is known to have enquired about acquiring his services last season.

"Of course, I am happy with what I am doing," Verstappen told Viaplay before indirectly taking aim at Norris and Piastri.

"I don't even want to think about what would happen if I had been in the other car [the McLaren]. Then you wouldn't have seen me anymore."

When it was put to him that he would have been in Toyko if racing from the cockpit of the MCL39, the Dutchman laughed, joking: "Yes, and then take the Shinkansen [the Japanese bullet train] home."

One swallow does not make a Red Bull summer

However, the four-time F1 drivers' champion quickly adopted a less jovial tone to lock a door that had already been shut by McLaren signing Piastri to a long-term extension - one to match Norris in the other car.

"In the end, none of this matters, it's not going to happen anyway," the 27-year-old said.

Assessing the weekend on the whole, Verstappen pointed out that victory in Suzuka does not mean Red Bull has yet returned to consistent race-winning form.

"A super result," he added. "It was just difficult overtaking here for a while, so it doesn't suddenly mean it's all hosanna [joyous] again and we're going to win everything. Nevertheless, we can be very happy with this."