Five pivotal races in Verstappen's drive to the world championship

Max Verstappen clinched his second successive Formula One world championship in Japan on Sunday with his 12th grand prix victory of a dominant season.

AFP Sport highlights five races that proved pivotal in the Dutchman's drive to the title:

Australia: 'Unacceptable' failure 

Charles Leclerc looked the man to beat in his Ferrari as he won for the second time in three races at the start of the season.

Both came after Verstappen's Red Bull had retired -- in the season-opener in Bahrain with electrical problems two laps from the finish and in Melbourne with flames coming from his engine.

In between, Verstappen pipped Leclerc by half a second in Saudi Arabia, but he could not contain his anger after breaking down at Albert Park when destined for second place.

GALLERY | Max Verstappen's a double F1 world champion

"We are so far behind. We need to finish races. It's unacceptable," fumed the Dutchman.

Red Bull heeded his words. It was to be Verstappen's last retirement of the season.

Spain: Ferrari's pain 

Verstappen overcame a sequence of problems at May's Spanish Grand Prix to register his third successive win and take the championship lead from Leclerc.

Beaten away at the start by his Ferrari rival, Verstappen was blown off into the gravel at one point and had to overcome issues with his rear wing drag reduction system (DRS).

He was aided by Red Bull ordering a disgruntled Sergio Perez to let his teammate through for victory after Leclerc suffered an engine failure on lap 27.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner defended the team orders: "It is our responsibility to bring both cars home. It was the right thing to do."

France: Leclerc disaster 

Leclerc took full blame after crashing while comfortably leading the French Grand Prix in