It’s been 2 weeks since the last race, and the F1 circus has now arrived in Japan’s Suzuka int’l Racing course. With Redbull suffering technical difficulties in the last race, and Ferrari being quick on the draw by seizing the opportunity to cross the finish line with a 1-2, is there a possibility that the championship has been opened wide now? Or will Red Bull continue dominating the ground effect era?
Around the Circuit
The Suzuka International Racing course in the Mie Prefecture of Japan is regarded as one of the most technical circuits on the Grand Prix Calendar. The 5.807 km (3.608 mi) long racetrack sports everything from long highspeed corners to slow chicanes and everything in between.
Suzuka International Racing Course Track Layout
The 130R, notably one of the most famous corners in the world of motorsports, is one of many that make the race track challenging, unassumingly named so due to its 130m radius, and has had some of the most thrilling high-speed overtakes on the circuit.
An even more unmistakable feature of the track is its figure-of-8 configuration, where a part of the racetrack crosses over itself on a bridge, possibly due to the track following variations in the height of Japan’s hilly terrain. Suzuka is also the only track on the calendar that has the figure-of-8 configuration.
Key Storylines
Can Ferrari retain their podium?
With Max Verstappen out of the Australian Grand Prix, following a mechanical failure, Ferrari was in a prime position to win the race. The prancing horses looked mighty following the practice sessions and with Sainz qualifying P2 on Saturday, the Spaniard was quick to pick up the scraps, leading the Italian outfit to a 1-2, their first since Bahrain 2022, another occasion where the Redbulls were out of contention. Thus it is crucial to ask, whether Ferrari can keep their place on the top step of the podium, or will Verstappen be the one to challenge and win the race?
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc on the podium after the 2024 Australian GP
Max Verstappen’s Reliability vows; a one-off issue or trouble in paradise?
Redbull has been bulletproof in terms of reliability, their last reliability caused DNF to occur ages ago. But have reliability concerns resurfaced? According to Max Verstappen, it was only a matter of time before he faced a mechanical DNF, following a perfect run of 43-point finishes since Australia 2022. “We had a lot of good races in a row, a lot of good reliability, and I knew that the day would come that you end up having a retirement.” – said the 3x world champion in an interview with Redbull.
Max Verstappen’s Redbull slowing down as the brake catches on fire
Mercedes’ Reliability dilemma
Speaking of reliability concerns, Mercedes had one of their worst weekends in F1, with their first double DNF since Austria 2018, Lewis Hamilton being out due to an engine failure and George Russell driving himself off the track in a last lap attempt to overtake Fernando Alonso, who was given a post-race penalty as determined by the stewards. But the question is, have Mercedes now run into engine troubles? The team that dominated the V6 Hybrid era due to their engine superiority and reliability, has found itself at a crossroads. Are Mercedes outdriving their engines, in an attempt to catch up to the frontrunners in Redbull and Ferrari? The team has been conducting internal investigations at the factory in Brackley, and we hope they come up with an answer soon.
Lewis Hamilton pulls off the track after an engine failure
McLaren brings new colors to the grid
McLaren becomes the first team in 2024 to bring a special livery, the Woking outfit working with Japanese artist MILTZ, designing a livery to highlight their “Driven by change” initiative. The livery, inspired by the Edomoji art style, features “a dragon racing through the clouds, with elements inspired by Japanese calligraphy from the Edo period.”
McLaren’s Special Livery for the Japanese GP
Yuki Tsunoda; Home Hero
With a great start to the F1 season so far, Yuki Tsunoda heads to his home GP with a promising future, as the Japanese driver did his best to finish the previous race in the points, getting a P7, Racing Bulls’ highest finish yet. On the other side of the garage, Daniel Ricciardo seems to be facing issues with the car, as he’s been unable to finish the races within the points so far.
Upgrades for the Japanese GP
Multiple teams intend to bring upgrades to Japan, with teams like Redbull, Racing Bulls and Mercedes bringing in parts upgrades, while Aston Martin brings a brand new floor for their AMR24. It will be interesting to see whether these parts bring much-needed pace and reliability for each of these teams, as Suzuka’s very technical and variable layout provides ideal testing grounds for upgrades. With the track moved up on the Calendar to the 4th race as opposed to traditionally being in the final few races of the calendar, it’s crucial to find out the actual pecking order of the teams, for the season to come.
Weather for the Weekend
Weekend Schedule
