After a topsy-turvy Chinese GP, Ferrari is looking for a stronger showing at Suzuka
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A chaotic Australian Grand Prix and a surprising sprint victory for Lewis Hamilton in China have not done much to change the overall picture at the front of the Formula 1 field, as McLaren heads into the Japanese Grand Prix as hot favourite after two wins in a row.
But the third round of the season at Suzuka arrives with plenty of questions left to be answered. Here’s a look at the main ones.
Red Bull’s widely criticised ‘demotion’ of Liam Lawson to Racing Bulls after just two races will put both the team and Yuki Tsunoda under an intense spotlight during a race weekend which is critical for both the squad and the driver.
Suzuka is not only Tsunoda’s home race, but it will also mark Red Bull final’s Japanese GP with engine partner Honda, a landmark that even the team is celebrating with a one-off livery and some special events.
Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull Racing in Milton Keynes for his seat fitting
Red Bull
Tsunoda has been long demanding a shot with Red Bull after several years in the ‘junior’ team, and has finally been given the chance to drive alongside Max Verstappen.
The timing, however, means Tsunoda will have to face the challenge in a car that is now seen as the third or even the fourth fastest on the grid.
The Japanese driver must be fully aware that the opportunity is a double-edged sword that could result in him following the paths of the other men who have failed before him. Likewise, the chance to secure a long-term future with Red Bull starts at Suzuka, where it will be time to deliver.
Liam Lawson will be hoping to bounce back in Japan
Red Bull
Like Tsunoda, Lawson is pretty much starting a new career in Japan.
Unlike Tsunoda, however, the Kiwi arrives at Suzuka after the massive psychological and emotional blow of having lost his Red Bull seat after just two races in which he qualified last and finished outside the points.
Yuki Tsunoda has explained the performance level Red Bull is demanding as he joins the F1 team — and says that he will be allowed to beat Max Verstappen if he’s quick enough
There is no doubt that Lawson will need a reset in Japan.
Lawson is far from the first driver to be demoted from the main team to Racing Bulls/Toro Rosso, and some of the drivers in a similar situation have gone on to re-establish themselves as solid racers (namely Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon).
The New Zealander will also face the tricky task of sharing the garage with a driver with even less experience in Isack Hadjar, so anything that’s not at least matching the Frenchman is likely to be seen as not good enough.
However, given the apparent more gentle nature of the Racing Bulls cars, Lawson’s demotion could also prove to be a blessing in disguise.
Max Verstappen during the Chinese GP
Red Bull
After two tough races in Australia and China, Red Bull — and especially Max Verstappen — arrives at Suzuka fully aware that the Japanese venue is likely to highlight the competitiveness, or lack, of its RB21 car.
Verstappen has been the dominant winner in Japan for the past three years, twice leading a Red Bull 1-2 miles ahead of the rest of the field.
Given its successful recent history, Suzuka will be something of a litmus test for the team. If Red Bull continues to be off the pace of its main rivals, chances are it will continue to struggle for a while, particularly at less favourable circuits.
Verstappen’s difficult races in China point to another challenging weekend in Japan, although given his dominance in the past three years, ruling out the four-time champion from a victory fight at Suzuka could prove naïve.
All smiles for now between Norris and Piastri, but a title battle is brewing
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Considering how far ahead of its rivals McLaren has been in the first two races of the season, its biggest issue heading into the Japanese GP might be how it manages the situation of having two drivers capable of winning races.
Lando Norris took a convincing victory in Australia in very difficult conditions, while Oscar Piastri bounced back in style to win from pole in China.
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Circumstances like Piastri spinning out in Melbourne and clearing the way for Norris, or the Briton not being quite a match for the Australian in China, have made it somewhat easier for McLaren to avoid having to deal with a delicate situation, but if, as expected, it continues to have to the leading car, tensions will inevitably rise.
If it manages to maintain a healthy gap to the rest of the pack, its two drivers stealing points from each other might not be seen as a huge deal, but not having a clear number one driver could eventually backfire further down the road if rivals start to close in.
How McLaren manages the situation early on could set the tone for the rest of the year.
Hamilton won for Ferrari in the Chinese GP sprint
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After Lewis Hamilton took a popular victory in the sprint, Ferrari left China with little else to celebrate.
Despite Saturday’s victory, Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc finished a distant sixth and fifth respectively in the main race, only for both to be disqualified after failing post-race technical checks.
While the disqualification was a hard blow for the Scuderia, perhaps its race pace was the most worrying aspect of its weekend, as it was nowhere after showing strongly in the sprint.
The season-opening race in Australia was also a massive disappointment, and Ferrari finds itself in fifth place in the standings heading into Japan.
At Suzuka, the team will be hoping for a much stronger outing that will help it figure out where exactly is in the pecking order.
