SUZUKA, JAPAN: Max Verstappen was declared Formula One world champion Sunday after winning a dramatic rain-shortened Japanese Grand Prix.

Red Bull鈥檚 Verstappen crossed the line first and he was then awarded the title when second-place finisher Charles Leclerc was given a five-second penalty, dropping him to third.

The result gave Verstappen an unassailable 113-point lead in the championship, making him only the third driver after Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel to clinch the title with four races to spare.

Ferrari鈥檚 Leclerc finished the race second in front of Red Bull鈥檚 Sergio Perez, but he was hit with a penalty after squeezing Perez wide and leaving the track in a late surge for the line.

Verstappen was informed he had retained his title midway through the post-race TV interview, and even the driver himself was not sure if he had sealed the deal.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a crazy feeling of course as I didn鈥檛 expect it when I crossed the line,鈥� said a shell-shocked Verstappen.

鈥淲as it going to be half points? I didn鈥檛 know how many points I was going to get. I was happy with the race we had.鈥�

The race got off to a chaotic start in heavy rain, with Ferrari鈥檚 Carlos Sainz and Williams鈥� Alex Albon exiting on the first lap prompting a safety care.

A red flag soon followed and forced the drivers to wait for more than an hour before the action restarted, again under a safety car.

Verstappen resumed with a lead over Leclerc and Perez, and extended it as conditions gradually improved.

Verstappen has won 12 of 18 races in 2022 and thanked his team for an 鈥渋ncredible鈥� year.

鈥淭he first (championship) is a little more emotional, the second one is beautiful,鈥� he said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a special year, and you need to remind yourself as these kind of years you don鈥檛 have very often.鈥�

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said Verstappen had 鈥済rown鈥� as a driver.

鈥淐arrying that No. 1 this year, he鈥檚 done it with a lot of pride,鈥� he said.