Oscar Piastri sums up fan frustration after boring Japanese GP

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Verstappen dominates at Suzuka as fans voice discontent over lack of excitement

Oscar Piastri's post-race reaction may have been brief, but it perfectly encapsulated what many Formula 1 fans were thinking after a lackluster 2025 Japanese Grand Prix: "That was it?"

As the McLaren driver sat in the post-race cool-down room alongside Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, he watched the official race highlights package on the screen at Suzuka. With a puzzled look, Piastri asked, “That’s it? That’s all the highlights of that race?”

Piastri's remark instantly struck a chord with viewers worldwide. Many fans had woken up in the early hours—especially in Europe—only to witness one of the most uneventful races in recent memory.

Minimal overtaking leaves fans cold at once-iconic Suzuka

Suzuka, a circuit revered for its flowing corners and historic moments, delivered a race that lacked the excitement fans have come to expect. The top six drivers finished in the same order they started—a rarity in F1, occurring only for the fourth time in the sport’s long history. The only on-track change in the top ten came when Lewis Hamilton passed Isack Hadjar for seventh in the opening laps.

While McLaren briefly looked threatening during the pit stop phase on Lap 20, Verstappen’s ability to maintain position and pace in clean air rendered any challenge moot. The Dutchman’s Red Bull was untouchable once again, controlling the race from start to finish after securing pole the previous day.

Adding to the frustration was McLaren’s decision not to allow Piastri to swap places with Norris, despite the Australian showing stronger pace late in the race. Piastri had requested the team consider a switch, but the call never came.

Fans vent on social media after disappointing Japanese GP performance

The lack of wheel-to-wheel action left fans venting on social media. One wrote, “Sums up the race. Utterly boring.” Others chimed in with similar sentiments, suggesting the increased aerodynamic dependency of modern F1 cars is ruining the spectacle.

“Effects of clean and dirty air are too strong, which is funny as that’s what the design change was supposed to remedy,” a fan noted on X. Another added, “Suzuka magic has gone thanks to stupid aero,” while others likened the experience to the famously processional Monaco Grand Prix, with one comment bluntly stating: “Should have stayed in bed.” Some fans were even shocked there were any highlights to show at all: “I’m quite impressed, they found that much to show,” one wrote.

Piastri’s post-race remark quickly spread across fan forums and social platforms, becoming a meme in itself. His confusion at the lack of race footage was shared by thousands of viewers, who now worry that Formula 1’s current era of ground effect cars, meant to promote overtaking, might be falling short of expectations at circuits like Suzuka.

A wider issue or just a one-off bad race?

While the Japanese GP was a low point in terms of entertainment, F1 has produced several thrillers over the past few seasons—particularly in 2021, widely considered one of the best championship battles in history. Still, two consecutive quiet races in China and Japan have reignited concerns about the sport’s racing product.

Drivers have continued to point out how hard it is to follow another car due to dirty air. Despite regulation changes intended to reduce the problem, many believe the teams’ rapid aero development has negated any gains. Whether Suzuka’s processional 2025 edition proves to be an outlier or part of a growing trend remains to be seen. But for now, Piastri’s unscripted post-race comment might just become the quote of the season.

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