Hamilton boasts a pole-to-win rate of 58.65 per cent, which means Verstappen would need to lose his next 16 poles to have an equal record. Norris, meanwhile, has a rate of just 40 per cent, owing to his historically poor race starts.

The one lively moment in a sedate Japanese Grand Prix came when Max Verstappen and Lando Norris raced to the end of the pit lane after their tyre changes, forcing the McLaren off track

Lando Norris says he did not need a reminder of Max Verstappen’s quality after the four-time world champion upset the odds to win the Japanese Grand Prix. McLaren had won the opening two races of the season – one each for Norris and Oscar Piastri – and were fastest in every session at Suzuka until the final seconds of qualifying.