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Starting from the Japanese Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing will field Yuki Tsunoda instead of Liam Lawson. The New Zealand driver is essentially a victim of a very questionable management decision by the leaders of the Milton Keynes team, who first promoted him to the almost impossible role of Max Verstappen's teammate with only 11 Grand Prix races under his belt, only to dismiss him after just two races. A few days after the decision, team principal Christian Horner admits that the team made the wrong choice:
"I think the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix were affecting Liam quite negatively; we could have let it slide, and maybe by mid-season he would have reached the necessary level, but we don’t have that kind of time. I think we asked too much of him, and we asked it too soon. It was very clear how much Liam was struggling with the car, you could see the weight on his shoulders: the engineers came to me very concerned about this, so I believe it was the right choice to make. This move from Liam’s side can help nurture that talent we know he has, and from Tsunoda’s side, it gives Yuki a chance to utilize his experience. It’s horrible to give this kind of news because you take away a driver’s dreams and aspirations, but sometimes you have to be cruel. However, I think in this case, it’s not the end for Liam: I’ve been very clear with him about that. We have work to do on the car, we need to improve it, and we need to take advantage of Yuki’s experience, while Liam can return to an environment he already knows, and which might have less pressure than that of Red Bull".
He adds:
"There’s a risk that Tsunoda may struggle too, but Tsunoda is a driver with four years of experience, and the engineers will be able to use that to help him with car development for the rest of the season. For him, driving the Red Bull all of a sudden is a tough task, but we made this decision early enough for Yuki to have a big impact for the rest of the year".
At the moment, Christian Horner isn’t focusing on the future. Yuki Tsunoda will need to earn his confirmation with performances:
"Yuki has a contract for several years to come, we have options on him for the future, but right now our focus is on the present. He earned the opportunity, and now it’s up to him to make the most of it".
Tsunoda is unpredictable, and even those at the top of Red Bull Racing know that. That’s why team principal Christian Horner wants to be clear. He says the following about Yuki Tsunoda:
"Basically, Chris told me to be as close as possible to Max, which won’t be easy but will yield good results for the team and allow us to play with strategies. He made it clear that the priority is Max, which I fully understand, because he’s a four-time world champion, and even in the last races, he performed well in difficult situations. Also, I have to help with car development with my feedback: they were very happy with the feedback I gave in Abu Dhabi (at the end of the 2024 season tests). I don’t have a specific number of races to prove my worth. So far, Horner has supported me a lot and only mentioned the expectations he has for me. The pressure always comes when you go out on track, but for now, I feel very relaxed, almost as if I were in Racing Bulls: when I entered the hospitality, I was just thinking about breakfast. I feel confident and hope I can do something different from the other drivers".
After the controversies in recent days and Liam Lawson’s demotion to Racing Bulls, it’s strange to see the New Zealand driver in the white suit again, while Yuki Tsunoda wears blue to drive alongside Max Verstappen.
In the showrun organized on the streets of Tokyo in front of 12.000 fans, where the four Red Bull drivers drove the 2011 RB7 (Verstappen also drove the 2021 RB16B), Lawson smiles in every official photo released by the Milton Keynes team. However, it’s clear that the driver didn’t accept the dismissal after just two Grand Prix, races which he had never competed in before.
"It seemed like with every session, we were adapting to something, and it was difficult. For me, it wasn’t so much about driving style, but just adapting to a car that’s tough to drive. And, in my opinion, I wasn’t given the time to do that. It was a shock, something I didn’t expect. Obviously, I would have liked more time, especially since we raced on circuits I’d never been to before. Racing on tracks I knew would have helped, but of course, the decision wasn’t up to me. The tests were difficult (they’re never easy for rookies who only have three practice sessions, but the New Zealander also had technical problems), the first weekend in Melbourne was complicated, and the China weekend was a Sprint weekend, so just one free practice session".
Yuki Tsunoda is the man of the moment. After the announcement of his move to Red Bull Racing, the Japanese driver is beginning to experience what it’s like to be in one of the best teams, especially at his home Grand Prix. Tsunoda is one of the stars of the event organized by the Austrian team on the streets of Tokyo and talks about his feelings regarding this particular debut. The immense pressure isn’t affecting him for now.
"I’m sure there’s pressure from Red Bull for this home Grand Prix, but I think the only thing I can do is enjoy it, for now".
Tsunoda had already revealed that he had driven the RB21 in the simulator, stating that he didn’t find it as difficult as he had feared. However, his time in Milton Keynes hasn’t been particularly long.
"How much time have I spent in the simulator? Just two days. I had a lot of promotional activities between China and Japan, and I had to cancel a few things. I think with the preparation we did, at least we optimized everything. If you ask me if it’s enough, I don’t know. I can’t say yes, but at least I know those two days were very productive".
Of course, the new Red Bull Racing driver is one of the protagonists of the press conference to present the weekend. In this context, Tsunoda once again shows considerable confidence in himself, saying that he has no intention of asking Verstappen for advice on how to drive the car:
"Even if I tapped him on the shoulder to ask him about the car, I don’t think he’d tell me the truth. I’ll find out myself, through the data, how he’s driving, also thanks to the onboard footage. Of course, I’ve already watched several of his videos from the last two Grand Prix on how he’s driving. If I really struggle? No, I don’t think I’ll ask him anyway. I’ll figure it out with my engineers. So far, they’ve been very helpful and have already given me some ideas on the characteristics that make drivers less confident. All the information is already in my head, it’s pretty clear, so now I just have to see how it goes after FP1".
When the swap between Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson was officially announced, Max Verstappen liked a post on Instagram by Giedo Van Der Garde, who openly criticized the decision, accusing the team of bullying the New Zealand driver. A choice driven by panic and desperation due to the tragic lack of results from the driver alongside Max Verstappen. During media activities in Suzuka, Max Verstappen didn’t go into excessive detail, but his stance was quite clear.
"I spoke with Liam and I spoke with the team, explaining my point of view, but I have nothing more to say. We need to focus on improving the car".
In the media session, Max Verstappen elaborates further, defending his like on Instagram of Van Der Garde’s post:
"I liked the post and I share the opinion. Sometimes you click on something by mistake, but in this case, that wasn’t the case. Red Bull made a decision and gave Liam two races. We shouldn’t forget the sacrifices that have been made throughout a career. I clearly remember my tears and blood to get into Formula 1, not to mention joining a top team. It’s true, he didn’t offer good performances over two races, but if anyone knows that, it’s him. I wish him all the strength and courage to get on the grid in Japan. He should believe in himself, keep his head high, and show that they were wrong".
The start of the season for Scuderia Ferrari certainly cannot excite fans, but undoubtedly the team is not satisfied with the races in Melbourne and Shanghai, capped by the double disqualification of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton (for different reasons), which will remain a dark page in the history of the Maranello team. With these premises, approaching Suzuka with confidence is difficult. However, Leclerc has accustomed his fans to blending realism with optimism: and so the Monegasque driver, after admitting he expected a Japanese Grand Prix in line with the disappointing early races, doesn’t want to risk demoralizing the team, reminding everyone that despite the situation being even worse in the 2024 season (in terms of the gap to the leader), Scuderia Ferrari still fought for the title with McLaren until the final race.
"There is still no concern within the team that aiming for the titles is an unrealistic ambition. If we go back to last year, looking at the first races, the performance situation was much worse than where we are now. We expected Red Bull to dominate the entire season, but we took the points we could get at the start of the season and fought for the championship, which was far beyond our expectations. We believe we didn’t maximize the potential we could have had in the first two races, and this is frustrating. But it doesn’t mean we can’t recover, the season is still very long. Step by step, we can still have an incredible season".
And arriving in Suzuka, the Monegasque driver adds:
"Every time mistakes are made, we learn from them, especially when they cost so much. Everyone 'plays' with the limit and tries to get as close as possible to it. Obviously, the fact that both cars went beyond the limit was a tough blow we didn’t need. It’s been a very difficult start to the season. The first two races were tough, the pace wasn’t what we expected, and losing even more points than we already have hurts the team. I’m confident we’ve learned from this situation. Every time something like this happens, we try to understand and analyze what went wrong and modify our way of working. A lot of factors came together that made the margin we had insufficient. It’s difficult as always. It’s always tough to extract the maximum. I don’t think this season is harder, it’s just that our performance compared to McLaren is not good enough. It’s not about extracting performance, it’s just that for now, there isn’t enough. But step by step, I’m sure and confident we will close this gap, starting this weekend, hopefully. We saw a big step forward on Saturday, especially in the Sprint race with Lewis. On Sunday, I think the situation went back to normal. Here, I expect to be in line with what we saw in Melbourne and Shanghai on Sunday. Hamilton was exceptional on Friday and went beyond the car’s performance, while other drivers didn’t put together a good qualifying lap. With clean air, he was able to manage tire degradation better during the race. In Saturday’s qualifying, when everyone reached their potential, we saw the car’s real pace. I think, like last year, we have a good car in terms of race pace, but we haven’t been able to show it so far. When you start in the middle of the pack, tire degradation is worse, and you can’t show your real pace. That’s what happened on Sunday in China. So I think the pace is still good, like what we saw on Saturday with Lewis. However, we can’t make the most of it unless we have a better pace in qualifying. We need to improve in qualifying, it was like that last year, and this year it seems to be even more so".
He concludes by saying:
"I can assure you that it’s never a good thing to have a broken front wing, I won’t try to damage it in the next races. We’ve analyzed some interesting aspects to understand where the performance came from. I believe the performance was very good in terms of race pace. I made some adjustments on Saturday - I was fast, especially at the end of the stint, considering I was in traffic - then we made some changes and took another step forward for Sunday’s race. So I believe the overall pace was very good. I think it would have been stronger with a complete front wing, but by changing the tools and adapting my driving, the damage didn’t have the impact we thought it would. It’s still better to race with a full wing".
After the pre-season celebrations and crowds, Lewis Hamilton is now experiencing the less pleasant side of being a Ferrari driver. After the nightmare start to the season, the seven-time World Champion is facing the media pressure that Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel had to deal with before him. Inevitably, the double disqualification from the Chinese Grand Prix has fueled public criticism of the team. However, Hamilton, speaking with journalists at Suzuka, responds to this criticism and to those who speculate that this tough start might already be making him lose confidence in Ferrari's way of working.
"I saw someone sent me something asking if I’m losing confidence in the team, but that’s rubbish. I have 100% absolute confidence in this team. I think there was a huge hype at the start of the year, and I don’t know if anyone expected us to win from the first race and win a championship in our first year. That’s not what I expected. I know I’m entering a new culture, a new team, and it will take time. Over the last two months, I’ve been observing how the team works compared to the other two teams I’ve been with. In this last week, I’ve been able to take notes and create pointers on areas I think can be improved, and this will continue throughout the year as we get to know each other better".
Hamilton also says he wasn’t particularly upset by the double disqualification in Shanghai:
"I didn’t feel any frustration or anything. It is what it is, of course, we’ve analyzed everything. I was at the factory on Wednesday, and there are many lessons to be learned. We go through the highs and lows together, as a team. Obviously, this isn’t why everyone worked so hard. No team, no engineer, no mechanic works their hardest only to end up in a situation like this. I’d say the most impressive thing is the way the team took it, how they worked, how they analyzed the data. The way we will move forward from here is the most important thing".
Two races and two podium finishes for George Russell, always in third place behind the wheel of his Mercedes W16 at the opening round in Australia and in China. For the British driver, the goal will obviously be to complete a hat-trick in Japan, at Suzuka, a track where he has never finished in the top three in Formula 1. However, at the pre-race press conference, the British driver is cautious about the potentially favorable outcomes of the Japanese race:
"The first two races have been fantastic, and we couldn’t have hoped for more. But I think we need to be realistic. We’re only two races into a long season, and I believe Ferrari and perhaps Red Bull haven’t yet maximized their potential. So we don’t want to get carried away thinking this is possible week in and week out. But we definitely know that if we do the best job we’re capable of, we’ll be there among the protagonists. We know that in qualifying, we’ve always been very strong, but in China, it was quite nice to see that our race pace was quite good and that we were the second-fastest team. There are many positives to consider. We’re going to Japan, which was probably one of our worst races last year, so it will be an interesting test to see if we’ve improved the car compared to twelve months ago".
George Russell also comments on the recent statements from Mercedes Team Principal, Toto Wolff, who expressed great satisfaction with his performances, especially in China:
"I don’t read what’s said in the press or on social media. So, as far as I’m concerned, I only found out about it this morning when someone told me. Of course, it’s nice to know, but I know he’s always supported me, he’s had my back, and he believes in me. That’s the most important thing: what happens inside the team, as opposed to what’s shown to the world. I know I have everyone’s support. We’re all in this together. We’re all fighting for the same common goal, and it’s an exciting time for us".
The English driver, on the other hand, does not dwell on matters related to his contract renewal:
"From my side, there’s no stress regarding the contract. Ultimately, in Formula 1, even when contracts are in place, things can change very quickly. I believe in myself. You need to deliver performances, and that’s very simple. When it comes to discussing a contract, with us in the past, with Toto, it didn’t take more than 24 hours for a conversation to happen, then we moved on to the lawyers, and the deal was made. So, there’s no rush on my part, no worries, no pressure. I’m enjoying my position in the sport, I’m enjoying my performances, and I’m enjoying the races. That’s the main priority right now".
In just ten days, Andrea Kimi Antonelli has had quite a comprehensive overview of the Formula 1 world: in Melbourne, he made a mistake in Qualifying but then capitalized on favorable circumstances to climb up to 4th place in the race (under the rain). In China, the weekend with the Sprint Race format put him in front of two qualifying sessions and two races after only one free practice session. Now, after these sessions and situations to master, the Italian driver has clear ideas for the weekend ahead in Suzuka.
"I’m looking forward to racing on such a legendary track; I’ve prepared a lot on the simulator. I want to take advantage of the classic weekend format to gain confidence session by session. I’ll focus on qualifying because that’s where I need to improve. I see the potential is there, and I also know what I’m missing, but it’s a journey I need to take step by step, not trying to rush everything, because the risk is taking two steps back instead of one forward. Getting the tires to the right temperature is not easy, and the level is so high that even a small mistake can leave you far behind".
Asked about how useful the test kilometers he completed during 2024 were, Antonelli explains that there’s one factor that cannot be tested before actually racing in Formula 1:
"The tests were crucial to allow me to get used to the speed of these cars and learn all the procedures and commands you need to operate through the steering wheel. However, the tires used in those tests are completely different from the racing tires".
The Japanese Grand Prix will feature some novelties on track, from new line-ups to special liveries, but most notably, it will be the first weekend after McLaren's double win at the last event in China. The Shanghai weekend concluded with Oscar Piastri's first-ever pole position, followed by his victory in front of his teammate Lando Norris. A completely English success, highlighting further progress made by the Woking team, still unbeaten in the first two races, with Piastri ready to face the Suzuka weekend, fully aware of his team's developments:
"In the last twelve months, we’ve made a lot of progress in our key areas. The 2024 weekend in China was pretty tough, but this year, it’s been quite satisfying, and probably my best weekend in Formula 1. It was a great satisfaction for the work we’ve done. Our preseason was tough in terms of analyzing what we can improve, and I’ve been happy with the start of the year so far".
Oscar Piastri also shares his opinion on the most discussed case in the last two weeks, the Tsunoda-Lawson swap:
"I think two races aren’t enough to understand things. I’ve raced a lot against Liam in the junior categories, and I think these two races are not representative of what he’s capable of. I believe there’s pressure to perform from the start, but I think it mostly comes from yourself. For me, I was lucky in a way to have a good second weekend, especially since the first one was tough, but the second was already good and gave me a world of confidence. Sometimes all you need is that one session or weekend where everything goes right, and then you gain a lot of confidence".
The Suzuka qualifying session will be the first one Oscar Piastri experiences without the pressure of achieving his first-ever pole position:
"The pole in China, to be honest, was more of a relief than anything else. It won’t make it easier to try to get pole position for the rest of the year, but there was starting to be a sort of desperation because I had been trying for so long. Getting the first one was a nice relief, but of course, I want to try to get it every weekend. I think it just confirms the approach we’ve taken, and we should keep doing the same thing".
The weekend of the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka begins with the forecast for the third direct confrontation between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The two McLaren drivers enter the weekend as favorites after the excellent performances delivered by the MCL39 in the Australian and Chinese races. The British team won both of the first two Grand Prix: Norris is leading the World Championship, and Piastri, fourth in the standings, just 10 points behind the top spot, comes off a victory in China. The path to a direct showdown between the two throughout the season already seems to be laid out. Lando Norris, speaking to journalists in Japan, hints at expecting tough times in his relationship with his teammate if, as seems likely, the battle for the World Championship title becomes a head-to-head contest between him and Oscar Piastri.
"We want to beat each other, but we’re also teammates, so it’s not an easy dynamic. It’s never easy to find the perfect balance, but we’re working hard as a team to make sure we can do it".
But would Lando prefer to face someone inside or outside his team to fight for the World Championship? To this question, the English driver doesn’t answer directly. However, he highlights the positive aspects that could come from an internal team battle at Woking:
"I’m not too worried. I think the positive thing about having your rival in the same team is that you can see everything they do. I can see what they do and how they do it. Sometimes trying to do what they do isn’t easy, and I’m sure it’s the same for them. Trying to replicate what another driver does is not always an easy task, but at least I have that information. When the (rival) is in another team, you don’t have that knowledge. In the end, I don’t mind. I’m ready to fight anyone, and I’m excited".
On Friday, April 4, 2025, in FP1, Yuki Tsunoda made an assured start to life in Red Bull colours - which are white and red for Honda’s home race - by steadily building up speed in the much-talked-about RB21 and lapping just a tenth slower than new team mate Max Verstappen on their early soft tyre runs. Once every driver had got laps in on Pirelli’s red-marked rubber, it was championship leader Norris who topped the timesheets with a benchmark of 1’28”549 around a partially resurfaced and updated track, followed closely by Russell and Leclerc. Norris’ effort, which came slightly later in the session than those around him, and followed a trip onto the grass and gravel exiting the final chicane, kept him in the P1 spot over the aforementioned Mercedes and Ferrari drivers through to the chequered flag.
Lewis Hamilton backed up team mate Leclerc in fourth, from the Red Bulls of Verstappen and Tsunoda, who remained closely matched, while Fernando Alonso put his Aston Martin in an encouraging seventh over Racing Bulls racer Isack Hadjar. Kimi Antonelli wound up ninth in the sister Mercedes, having survived a visit to the gravel at the Turn 11 hairpin late on, with Williams pair Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon in P10 and P11 respectively - the latter doing the same as Antonelli earlier in the session. Alpine reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa was next on the timesheets, having taken over Jack Doohan’s car for the opening session of the weekend, giving the Japanese crowd even more to shout about alongside Tsunoda’s Red Bull promotion. Lawson marked his return to Racing Bulls in P13, followed by the other Alpine and McLaren machines of Pierre Gasly and Oscar Piastri - the Chinese Grand Prix winner not getting as clean a run in as pace-setting team mate Norris. Lance Stroll was 16th in his Aston Martin, around half a second away from team mate Alonso, as the Kick Sauber and Haas drivers - Nico Hulkenberg over Ollie Bearman, Esteban Ocon and Gabriel Bortoleto - completed the field. After Lando Norris set the pace during FP1 earlier in the day - in a session that also saw home favourite Yuki Tsunoda make his debut for Red Bull - the drivers returned to action for the second hour of practice at 3:00 p.m. local time amid dry and sunny conditions at the Suzuka Circuit. Doohan was amongst the first to hit the track - having handed his Alpine over to Ryo Hirakawa during the opening practice session - while there were early concerns for Carlos Sainz, the Williams driver reporting something wrong with his FW47 before returning to the pits. But there was worse to come for Doohan, the Australian suffering a high-speed crash at Turn 1 less than 10 minutes into FP2 to bring out the red flags. While he fortunately reported that he was okay, the incident left behind significant debris as well as damage to the barriers, leading to a lengthy recovery operation by the marshals. Ahead of the session resuming at 3:30 p.m. local time - meaning that just 30 minutes were left on the clock - a queue of cars had formed in the pit lane, all keen to get more mileage in after losing nearly 20 minutes from their programmes.
This led to a mixture of run plans, with the likes of Tsunoda and Lance Stroll already bolting on the soft tyres while others stuck with the hard or medium compound. But there was further disruption just a few minutes on when Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin became beached at Turn 8, the Spaniard having gone wide after dipping a wheel on the grass. The action got going again with just under 20 minutes remaining, leading to most of the pack running the soft compound to ensure that their Qualifying simulations had been completed in what had become a shortened session. There was immediately some action at the pit exit as George Russell made an overtake before kicking up some dust as he looked to potentially make a move on Max Verstappen, though the Briton subsequently opted to stay behind the Red Bull. The order on the timesheets continued to change as plenty of fast laps went on the board, with Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar catching the eye by going fastest before McLaren’s Norris displaced the youngster. Running came to a brief halt when a third red flag was thrown owing to a small fire at the side of the track, before the session got underway again with around seven minutes to go - and it was Piastri who edged out team mate Norris to end the session on top, the Australian’s effort of 1'28"114 putting him 0.049s clear of the other McLaren as another red flag fell in the closing moments following a second small fire. Hadjar held onto third, ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari and Racing Bulls’ returnee Liam Lawson. Russell followed in sixth as Mercedes look for another strong weekend, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Verstappen, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Sainz completed a slightly mixed-up top 10. The other Williams of Alex Albon slotted into 11th, ahead of the Kick Sauber duo of Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto and Haas pairing Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman respectively. Kimi Antonelli claimed P16 for Mercedes - with the Italian and his team mate both having abandoned their soft tyre runs, leaving them without representative times on the board - while Alonso, Tsunoda, Stroll and Doohan rounded out the order, with Alonso and Doohan both having been unable to return to action after their incidents. McLaren came out strong right away in Japan, confirming their strength on a circuit that usually reveals the true hierarchy.
In FP2, the British team outpaced the competition by at least 0.4 seconds, strongly positioning themselves for a potential triple win, something that hadn’t been seen since Ayrton Senna’s time at the start of the season. But who will be the leading driver? Lando Norris led FP1, but in the afternoon, he was beaten by his teammate Oscar Piastri. The British driver knows well that the Australian driver will be his biggest rival, but he doesn’t rule out other teams from the fight, especially Mercedes.
"I think Mercedes is very strong and will be a tough competitor tomorrow. Russell was as fast as me this morning. Maybe Red Bull was a little further behind, but these are just free practice sessions; the times will tighten up in qualifying. Also, I don’t think this session, with all the red flags (four, ed.), is very reliable. Maybe FP1 was a bit more because we saw all the teams in the order we expected. It was a good session, made a bit more complicated by the wind, which, when you’re on the limit, can unbalance the car, especially in the first sector, but we all suffered from it. I still felt good; we seemed quite competitive, we made progress, but there are still some things to work on for tomorrow".
FP2 was affected by many interruptions, but despite this, the two cars built in Woking were very competitive, with Piastri beating Norris by 0.049 seconds. In this regard, the Australian driver avoids answering when asked if McLaren will be the car to beat in Japan.
"Are we the best? It’s hard to say. In FP1, I struggled to find the pace. In FP2, I felt much more comfortable, but I think Mercedes also looked very fast. However, they couldn’t find the pace on the soft tires, and in these kinds of sessions, it’s always difficult to make an overall assessment. I think we have the pace, I’m feeling confident for the rest of the weekend, but it’s still a bit complicated so far".
Piastri also highlights the role of the wind during FP2:
"The resurfaced track and gusts posed a challenge. This is a circuit where the wind changes the balance a lot, and when there are gusts like this, it feels like the car isn’t the same anymore. The session was complicated because there were many interruptions in FP2, but towards the end of the day, I felt quite comfortable. We still need to optimize the setup".
At Suzuka, Ferrari's team principal, Frederic Vasseur, is convinced that McLaren is closer than the lap times suggest, and even Lewis Hamilton praises the balance of the SF-25. Charles Leclerc is no exception and is also confident that he has a clearer understanding of Ferrari’s behavior after these two Free Practice sessions, with the second one in particular being quite confusing due to three interruptions:
"It was a constructive day: we tried several setups during the two practice sessions, and I feel I’ve learned a lot about our car and how to get the most out of it. We weren’t able to put everything together due to the various red flags and the traffic that compromised the second session, but I believe our performance is better than it looks on paper right now. It will be interesting to see how the weather conditions, especially regarding the wind direction, will affect tomorrow’s sessions".
What are your predictions for the rest of the weekend?
"We need to be careful because it looks like the McLarens are on another planet. But I feel like we might have a better idea of how to maximize our potential for this weekend, which is always a good thing".
Overall, the day was productive but a bit frustrating due to the four interruptions that affected the second Friday practice session at Suzuka:
"Today we tried many things, so I think it was a very constructive day. We didn’t manage to put together a good lap, but I feel that our performance is probably better than what we’ve shown. Of course, it was a bit frustrating because I couldn’t get a clean lap with traffic, or a red flag, or another red flag. But it was a good day, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow".
With one more unknown, as rain seems increasingly likely for Sunday, while the wind conditions during qualifying should be the opposite of what was experienced during the practice sessions. A headwind is expected on the main straight but a tailwind in the more technical parts of the track.
"I believe everything we’ve learned in the free practice could be completely overturned. Tomorrow, a huge change in the wind is expected, which will have a significant impact, especially on a track like this. However, we’ve still learned some things with the car, also looking ahead to future races".
Fourth in the morning, fourth in the afternoon: Lewis Hamilton’s day concludes with a steady performance, even in terms of the gaps to McLaren. The seven-time World Champion remains confident about the SF-25's potential, which is strong in the corners and showed (at least in FP1) an encouraging race pace. He believes that fourth position is a good starting point for the weekend.
"Overall, it was a positive day. This track is incredible, and the first sector is fantastic: now you can really push, especially with the new asphalt. In the first session, the car balance wasn’t perfect, but we made great progress for FP2, and I’m happy with the direction we’ve taken. There’s still work to do tonight, and with the weather expected to change, we’ll need to stay focused, but we’re in a good position, and I’m curious to see what we can do tomorrow. It’s amazing to see so many of my fans dressed in red; I’m really grateful and hope I can deliver good results for them this weekend".
While McLaren confirms the expectations for the weekend, Ferrari is still trying to find its footing and is trailing behind. However, Ferrari’s team principal, Frederic Vasseur, is not worried about the results from the first two Free Practice sessions and, as usual, expects the balance of power to shift as the sessions progress and as weather and track conditions change.
"It was very difficult to put everything together for a good lap, given the traffic and other issues. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were quite happy with the balance, so I don’t think we’re too far off McLaren this afternoon. But it will probably be the same tomorrow… On a track with so many high-speed corners, it’s tough to recover, especially when you're in traffic. If we're lacking something today, it might be in corners 9-11, the low-speed ones. But we’ll work on the setup tonight, and it's true that FP2 wasn’t very productive. We only managed two fast laps…".
Vasseur then talks about the power dynamics he expects to see on track over the weekend, admitting that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have a slight advantage on paper:
"You can’t draw conclusions yet, as we only did one or two fast laps in the afternoon session. But we’re very close, even though McLaren might still be a small step ahead of the others. However, we’re right there with the Red Bulls and Russell. It will be about putting everything together in tomorrow’s qualifying. Then, we’ll look to Sunday’s race, where rain is expected. The most important thing is that tomorrow, the wind will turn 180 degrees, which means it will totally change the car’s balance. We’ll have a tailwind in the high-speed sections and a headwind on the straight, the exact opposite of today. For the drivers, it will be very difficult to manage. But it will be the same for everyone, and we’ll have to study these conditions to be ready".
In a recent interview, Helmut Marko explained that Yuki Tsunoda did not have the opportunity to move to Red Bull Racing before this season because Adrian Newey had never wanted him on the team. However, Christian Horner, the team principal of the Anglo-Austrian squad, clarifies:
"I want to make it clear that Adrian had no role in the driver selection for this season. He wasn’t involved in this decision. Helmut was referring to the incident that occurred in 2022 at Silverstone".
As reported in the days leading up to the Japanese Grand Prix, some newspapers had highlighted the strange absence of Helmut Marko from the technical meeting held in Milton Keynes, where the development path for the RB21 was decided alongside Max Verstappen. Always omnipresent in the team's affairs, Marko's attitude in recent times seems to have shifted. In this context, Yuki Tsunoda’s comments are certainly unusual. Tsunoda, officially announced on March 27, had not yet heard from Helmut Marko until Friday:
"Surprisingly, he hasn't called me yet. I find it very strange. Maybe he was busy with other things, but I'm looking forward to seeing him. It’s definitely unusual not to have heard from him; from F3 to F1, he always called me, but this time he didn’t. I'm sure he doesn't have anything against me, we've never had any tension. When he comes to the circuit, we’ll meet".
Tsunoda’s statements, made during the Thursday press conference of the Japanese Grand Prix, were later contradicted by events:
"Yuki said he couldn’t wait to hear from Marko. Then he left the press conference, checked his phone, and saw that Helmut had tried to call him just before the interview".
Anyway, after last week's emergency meeting in Milton Keynes, Red Bull Racing brought some updates to Suzuka with the aim of making the RB21 easier to drive. To meet Max Verstappen's needs, the team made changes to the rear suspension, which were immediately tested on track during the free practices in Suzuka. Of course, the plan was affected by the four interruptions during FP2, as Max Verstappen points out:
"With all these stops, it was chaotic for everyone. Overall, today was a tough day for me. We tried a lot of different things with the car, but it’s still not quite right".
The Dutch driver finished FP2 in eighth place, completing only nine laps, with a best time of 1'28"670:
"It was pretty difficult to put together a good lap. On this track, you need a lot of confidence, and I don’t have that yet. We definitely still have work to do, things didn’t work out as they should have".
The first two Free Practice sessions of the Japanese Grand Prix marked Yuki Tsunoda’s debut with Red Bull Racing. In front of his home crowd, the Japanese driver didn’t disappoint in FP1, finishing P6 behind his new teammate Max Verstappen after completing 24 laps. It was a different story at the end of FP2, where he finished P18, but the session was heavily affected by four interruptions, one of which was caused by a severe crash involving Jack Doohan, fortunately without consequences for the Alpine driver. For Tsunoda, there were no real opportunities to complete a fast lap in the second session, as confirmed in the media interviews after his on-track activity, where he still expressed satisfaction with his first outing with Red Bull Racing:
"It went better than expected, for me it was a good start. In FP2, I didn’t set a time, and there’s a lot of work to do. Maybe there’s something we need to look at in the data for tomorrow, but overall, so far, it’s been good, and we’ll see how qualifying goes tomorrow".
In preparation for the Japanese Grand Prix, Tsunoda had the chance to try the RB21 in the simulator. Regarding this, the Japanese driver highlights the main differences between the virtual car and the real one he drove today:
"I have to say the real car is a bit different from the simulator. There’s a bit more of what I expected in terms of sensations and feel with the car, which will always be different from the simulator, where things are exaggerated or extreme compared to the real car, and it’s more complicated".
At Suzuka, George Russell confirms his good form. After two consecutive podiums in Australia and China, the British driver finishes FP1 in second place, just 0.1 seconds behind his fellow countryman Lando Norris and with a 0.2-second advantage over Charles Leclerc. FP2, however, was less indicative. Despite finishing in sixth place, the session was interrupted four times, and the limited time available for the drivers prevented them from improving their performance. In addition to Fernando Alonso's mistake and two fire incidents on the dry grass, the first red flag was waved due to a heavy crash by Liam Lawson, who managed to exit the car on his own. Russell spoke about his day and expressed relief about Lawson's condition:
"First of all, it's great to see that Jack [Lawson] was okay after the accident - it was a very serious impact, and I hope he’ll be back in the car tomorrow morning. For us, it was a positive day. The car performed well, although we know that the expected change in wind tomorrow will have an impact. McLaren still looks very strong, and there were several other competitive teams in the single-lap pace. It’s unusual to see so many teams so close together, so we’ll need to give our best to compete near the front. If we do the job we know we can do, I’m confident we can fight for the top two rows in qualifying. Considering the interruptions in FP2, we still have some unknowns ahead of Sunday’s race. We only managed to complete four laps on the Hard tires, so we have limited data on degradation and potential graining on that compound. There’s also the threat of rain on race day, which could make things interesting. The important thing for Friday, though, is that we were competitive on the timing charts, and this gives us a good foundation to build on”.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s FP2 at Suzuka ended with a P16. The Mercedes driver was over 1.6 seconds behind the fastest time set by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and, in terms of position, took a step back from FP1, where he had achieved the ninth-fastest time. However, Antonelli also highlighted some positive aspects:
"FP1 went quite well, considering I still had to learn the track. FP2 was a bit of a mess, with a lot of red flags, and I made quite a few mistakes, especially in the first sector. I made a big mistake with the red tires and lost a lot of time. However, the long-run pace seemed much more competitive, especially on the last lap, when there was yet another red flag. So, even though the result doesn’t reflect what we could have done, there are still some positive aspects we can take away. But there’s also plenty of room for improvement. The car is definitely performing very well. I don’t know how it behaved last year, but it seems competitive now, so tomorrow it will be up to us to deliver a good result".
Following a disrupted Free Practice 2 on Friday, featuring four red flag stoppages, the drivers head out again at 11:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, April 5, 2025, for a crucial last opportunity to fine-tune their cars at the Suzuka Circuit ahead of Qualifying.
One of the big questions prior to the session is whether Jack Doohan’s A525 will be repaired in time following his heavy shunt in second practice - but Alpine confirms in the run-up to FP3 that the Australian driver challenger is ready, with all parts having been replaced barring the power unit. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Doohan is one of the first to hit the track when the green light appears, the Australian bolting on the soft tyre for his initial run while the rest of the field opts for the medium and hard compounds. There looks to be an early issue for Isack Hadjar, the Racing Bulls driver having reported a quite bad problem in his cockpit before returning to the pits. The rest of the field soon follows in heading to the pit lane as a red flag is thrown owing to a small fire at the side of the track. A queue of cars forms at the pit exit ahead of the session resuming, leading to plenty of action on track amid a variety of programmes across the pack. Piastri has gone fastest on a 1'28"768 as the session heads towards its halfway point, while fellow McLaren driver Norris looks to be pushing hard after going wide on his effort. Another name to have an off-track moment is Norris’ former teammate Carlos Sainz, the Spaniard taking a trip across the grass as he continues to get acquainted with the Williams machine in his third race weekend for the team. The order at the top of the timesheets continues to evolve as more drivers complete soft-shod runs, with Russell lowering the benchmark and slotting into P1 after setting a lap of 1'28"385 in the Mercedes. Norris, meanwhile, is experiencing some ups and downs. The Briton’s car spends some time up on the stands in the garage as the team seemingly works on the floor, while he suffers another wide moment through the Degners upon returning to the track. As the times keep on tumbling - before another red flag is thrown in the closing stages owing to a trackside fire - it is Norris who sets the fastest time on a 1'27"965, putting him 0.026s clear of Piastri, while Russell is one-tenth back from Norris in third. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton put their Ferraris in fourth and sixth respectively, while sandwiched between them is Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver - along with Piastri - will be investigated after the session for allegedly failing to follow the Race Director’s instructions.
Williams’ Alex Albon, the Alpine of Pierre Gasly, Red Bull debutant Yuki Tsunoda and Hadjar complete the top 10, with Sainz just missing out in 11th. Behind the Williams man is Racing Bulls’ returnee Liam Lawson, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, Doohan, and the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso. Ollie Bearman is P16 for Haas, ahead of fellow rookie Gabriel Bortoleto - who pulls off a big save following a moment in his Kick Sauber late on - with Haas’ Esteban Ocon, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, and the other Kick Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg rounding out the order. Hours on from the third and final practice session of the weekend - which sees the McLaren pair of Norris and Piastri lead the way - the attentions of the paddock shift to Qualifying in order to decide the grid for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix. The Haas pair of Bearman and Ocon lead the pack out when the session gets underway at 3:00 p.m. local time, with the majority of the field bolting on the soft tyre for their initial runs - apart from Hamilton, who is sporting the medium compound for his banker lap. That gamble does not look to have paid off for Ferrari, Hamilton’s lap proving to be some nine-tenths off the pace-setting time of Norris. Once all 20 drivers have recorded an early flying run, it is Piastri who sits at the top of the timesheets via his effort of 1'28"143, five-hundredths clear of Russell, while Norris, Verstappen, and Leclerc complete the top five. It is not all smooth sailing for Verstappen, the Dutchman reporting that his tyres are not gripping in the Red Bull. There is also trouble for Hadjar, with the Racing Bulls driver notifying his engineer that he is experiencing the same issue that affected him in FP3, seemingly centering around his seat belts. The Frenchman - who goes on to state that he is unable to focus, labelling his car as not driveable - finds himself in the drop zone with six minutes left on the clock, along with Lawson, Alonso, Antonelli, and Stroll. One rookie seemingly having a better day is Bearman, who moves up into P5 for Haas. But could the other new arrivals in the sport get themselves out of the danger zone? While Hadjar informs the team that his issue is still persistent after returning to the track, Antonelli improves to slot his Mercedes into P8. Despite Hadjar’s struggles, the Racing Bulls driver moves up to 12th, while Lawson just escapes the relegation zone by taking 15th. The names that are not so lucky include the Kick Saubers of Hulkenberg and Bortoleto, who are eliminated in 16th and 17th respectively. Ocon also fails to make the cut in P18, and Doohan’s difficult weekend continues as the Alpine driver can only manage P19.
Bringing up the rear is Stroll, ending the session in a disappointing P20 for Aston Martin after running through the gravel following a wide moment. Verstappen is the first to head out on track as the 15 remaining drivers hit the circuit for Q2, and the World Champion looks to have set the early pace with his first time on the board - before he is subsequently dislodged by the McLaren of Norris, going fastest on a 1'27"146. Russell follows in second, ahead of Verstappen, Piastri - who loses time after going wide through the Degners - and an eye-catching Albon in fifth for Williams. The action then comes to a brief halt owing to another small fire at the side of the track, with Sainz, Alonso, Bearman, Tsunoda, and Lawson the drivers at risk in the drop zone. When the session resumes with just over eight minutes left on the clock, the Ferrari duo of Hamilton and Leclerc are keen to get back on track - having yet to set a time on fresh tyres - while the rest of the field seems content to wait it out in their garages. Leclerc moves up into fourth, the Monegasque going on to tell his engineer that:
"The first sector was rubbish from me".
While Hamilton slots into fifth as other drivers start to emerge for their final efforts. Alonso improves to initially escape the danger zone, pushing Lawson down in the process, before better times from the likes of Bearman drop the two-time World Champion down to P13. Gasly also exits in P11 - missing out by less than two-hundredths - as does Sainz in P12, Lawson behind Alonso in P14, and Tsunoda back in P15 during his first Qualifying for Red Bull. It is also confirmed that a potential impeding incident will be investigated after the session after Sainz appears to get in Hamilton’s way, the Ferrari driver voicing his unhappiness about the moment over the radio. The stewards will go on to hit the Williams driver with a three-place grid penalty for Sunday's race. The action continues at pace as Q3 gets underway, with Verstappen seemingly grabbing provisional pole before Piastri sweeps through moments later to take the position on a lap of 1'27"052, putting him two-tenths ahead of the Red Bull. Leclerc claims third in the Ferrari, while Russell is fourth and Norris takes fifth place, the Briton some four-tenths back from his teammate after running slightly wide through Turn 7. Hamilton also experiences a small slide, the seven-time World Champion slots into sixth. As attentions turn to the decisive final runs, Russell looks to have missed his chance of securing pole when the Mercedes has a moment in the first corner, but there seems to be no such trouble for Norris, who goes quickest to take P1. Yet a surprise is in store as Verstappen surges through to snatch pole position, the Red Bull driver pumping in an effort of 1'26"983 to beat Norris by just over one-hundredth of a second. Piastri, meanwhile, remains in third, with Leclerc taking fourth ahead of the Mercedes duo of Russell and Antonelli in fifth and sixth respectively. Hadjar ends the session in P7 - outqualifying both his current teammate Lawson and former one Tsunoda - while Hamilton is P8 for Ferrari ahead of Albon and Bearman, the latter enjoying his strongest Qualifying performance of the season so far in the Haas. In the track that perhaps more than any other highlights the qualities of a driver, the best driver makes the difference. With a car that even Yuki Tsunoda couldn't get higher than P15 (even beaten by the demoted Liam Lawson), Max Verstappen achieves an unreal pole position in the qualifying session of the Japanese Grand Prix. At Suzuka, the Dutch driver makes full use of his immense talent to snatch the front row from McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who seemed to have already secured a double podium. Instead - by just 0.012 seconds over Norris - the World Champion disrupts all predictions. It was a phenomenal lap, worthy of the best qualifications in Formula 1 history. A lap right on the limit and beyond, as he himself explains to Naomi Schiff just after stepping out of the car.
"We tried everything we could to get the best balance possible, but it wasn’t easy during qualifying. In every session, we made small improvements and that’s how we made the difference. Then, on the last lap, I pushed fully, and here, going to the limit, or even beyond in some places, is incredibly satisfying. The new lap record? This track is special. The first sector is incredible to drive with an F1 car. The new asphalt gives you even more grip. Tomorrow, however, it will be a challenge. Getting pole is a big moment, but for the race, we’ll see. It should rain too, so we’ll do our best. Throughout qualifying, we tried to improve the situation a bit, and honestly, the last lap was really good. I had a lot of fun out there, pushing as hard as I could everywhere. When I crossed the line and saw my name in P1, I knew Oscar was still there. However, I was already very happy with what I had done because I didn’t even expect to be close to what I achieved. It was a great moment".
Later, in the press conference, Max Verstappen points out that the car’s cornering ability remains the unpredictable aspect of the RB21.
"We found some adjustments that worked, let’s say that on a single lap, it’s easier to hide the car’s flaws. For sure, compared to Friday, we managed to make the car more drivable".
But the goal remains the same: give his best and earn points, hoping Red Bull Racing can improve the RB21 with updates:
"It’s going to be very difficult, but that’s fine. I’ll try my best. So far this season, we haven’t been able to challenge McLaren, but we’re not just sitting back and accepting it without trying to react. We’re doing our best and tomorrow we’ll fight, if possible. Anyway, the championship is very long, and we need to keep scoring points whenever we can, getting the most out of what we have. At least we’re starting at the front, and then we’ll see where we end up".
When introducing the Japanese Grand Prix, Yuki Tsunoda had stated that he could even finish on the podium. However, the final result of the qualifying session was a reality check for the Japanese driver, who was eliminated in Q2 and, like his predecessors, was a victim of a Red Bull that is only competitive when driven by Max Verstappen. As fate would have it, the new Red Bull Racing driver was also beaten by Liam Lawson, the driver he had replaced just days earlier. Has Tsunoda’s dream already ended? Of course not, he needs time to adapt to the RB21, just as Lawson should have been given that time (which wasn’t done). Moreover, the Japanese driver is confident about the race result, where on a wet track - with high chances of rain - anything can happen.
"I think the warm-up lap of my last attempt in Q2 didn’t go as I wanted, but I’m still learning. I thought it was going well, but I paid the price for it. It’s a shame I wasn’t able to extract the performance from the car. I believe the conditions were good from Q1, then everything started to go worse, so there’s a bit of frustration. I’m very sad because I couldn’t put the whole lap together, but at least now I have good confidence in the car. For tomorrow, I’ll do my best, but in these conditions, anything can happen. A bit of rain could help us climb up, but regardless of the weather, I’ll stay focused".
McLaren’s recent performances had led fans to consider the Woking team as the clear favorite for pole position at Suzuka, regardless of which driver would start from the first row. However, on Sunday, it will be Max Verstappen starting from the front, delivering a lap worthy of a standing ovation. The Dutch driver is the only one to beat the McLarens, with Oscar Piastri in P3 and Lando Norris in P2. The British driver, who had set the new track record before his friend and rival’s feat, praises Verstappen’s performance, but isn’t overly surprised. Indeed, Lando Norris highlights the potential he had noticed in Red Bull Racing during the weekend, not being totally shocked by the fastest lap set by Max Verstappen:
"Max did a great lap, and the Red Bull has been close all weekend. Everyone will say I’m talking nonsense, but they’ve always been pretty close, they didn’t do badly. Maybe we were using more of the engine, and they less, so it was said they were slower. All weekend, even this morning, they were close, and I said not to be surprised if the Red Bull was near our pace in qualifying, and it turned out to be the case. Honestly, it wasn’t a surprise for me to see Max up there, it’s what I expected. I was happy with my lap, I made improvements without taking excessive risks. We saw how close we were, maybe if I’d pushed a bit more and made a mistake, I would’ve ended up 3rd. We were very fast, both Oscar and I, but every time we tried to push a bit more and put the lap together, we weren’t as fast as Red Bull today".
McLaren’s potential is evident, and it’s natural that the British team’s goal is to get the best possible result. Lando Norris is ready to take the fight to Max Verstappen, a perspective that excites him:
"No one knows what the weather will be tomorrow, so it’s pointless to overthink. We’ll reflect on it tonight. It’ll probably be a race like Melbourne, which was exciting for everyone, but I’ll have to overtake, so we’ll see. It’s exciting. I believe the weather uncertainty will make the race exciting and nerve-wracking for everyone. I’ll have to try to overtake Verstappen".
Especially since Lando Norris feels more at ease in Japan with McLaren compared to China:
"I have more confidence in the front end, and I’ve felt good all weekend. If it had been a Sprint weekend for me, it would’ve been fantastic. China was one of the most critical tracks, but when we arrived here, the car was much more suited to my needs".
Oscar Piastri, despite being only 0.044 seconds behind the World Champion’s lap - which also set the new circuit record - will start from third position. Speaking after Q3, the Australian driver, fresh off his victory in the Chinese Grand Prix, takes responsibility for the negative result, explaining he made a mistake during his final timed lap.
"It’s good to have both cars in the top-3. I felt good for most of qualifying, especially at the start of Q3 (after the first attempt, the Australian driver was in pole), but the last lap didn’t go as I wanted, and I left a bit of time on the table. We said at the start of the season that the gaps would be incredibly tight, and today proved that. But tomorrow, it’s all to play for, and we have a great car. We don’t know what the weather will be, but we’ve been fast both in dry and wet conditions this year, so we should be up there fighting for the win. Let’s see what we can do".
Looking at the starting grid for the Japanese Grand Prix, the impression is that the two best drivers have been Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. While the Dutch driver delivered a performance that will be remembered as proof of his exceptional talent behind the wheel, the Monegasque driver extracted 100% from his Ferrari, securing a second-row start (his best of the season) and a fourth-place finish just behind the McLarens. Leclerc, in his usual post-qualifying analysis, expresses a mixture of disappointment (due to the fact that these are not the positions he wants to fight for) and positivity, because today there was nothing more to ask from the SF-25. He also sees a step forward for the race that gives him hope.
"On one hand, I’m disappointed with the result, but I’m not really surprised either: we expected a very strong McLaren and Red Bull. We knew we couldn’t work miracles. We were a bit lacking in the first sector, but having said that, there are weekends where the result isn’t what we wanted, but what we learn is much more important. As I said yesterday, I believe we’ve made a big step forward on my side. I’ve understood a bit more where I want to place the car to extract more potential. This is the positive side of a result that is definitely a bit disappointing, because fourth place isn’t the position we want to be in. Today, there was no more we could do, and we maximized what was in the car. I hope and believe that what we found yesterday will help me a bit for the race so that we can get back to the front".
The Monegasque driver does not hide the fact that he made some modifications to the SF-25, which gave him some positive feedback in terms of feeling:
"This is probably our position at the moment, and I honestly believe we’re also a bit behind in the setup. But I made several changes over the weekend, and we’ll discover what my race pace will be. I feel much more comfortable with the car, and I hope we can be positively surprised".
However, the sensations with the Ferrari haven’t brought any significant progress in terms of performance:
"I’m finding some answers to the things I need, and that’s positive. But this isn’t unlocking performance. I’m sure I’ll be able to be at 100% more often in the car, and that will give me confidence. But the performance and grip remain the same. I hope that with updates, we can close the gap. The improvement has mainly been in the balance, that’s where I’ve found something. As for the rest, I still need to wait a bit to get the overall load; I don’t know how sensitive the car is to height changes or where we are in terms of height. This shows that we’re not fast enough, and we don’t have enough grip to challenge McLaren and Red Bull".
Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying performance in Suzuka was not particularly impressive, and the eighth place he achieved at the end of the session certainly cannot satisfy the British driver or Scuderia Ferrari. After qualifying, Hamilton did not make excuses for describing the less-than-optimal day:
"I didn’t feel comfortable, otherwise, I wouldn’t have been eighth. But Charles did an excellent job; we work so hard every weekend. On one hand, it’s nice to see Charles so close to the front row, obviously, he’s very fast. But on the other hand, I wasn’t able to extract all the potential, so we need to analyze what happened".
Then, Hamilton talks about a setup difference between him and Leclerc:
"We chose two different paths in terms of setup. Charles’s direction may be more beneficial for a fast lap, and I hope mine will pay off in the race".
He adds:
"We’re running with an SF-25 that’s higher than we’d like. I don’t know if everyone else is in the same boat, but we, especially after what happened in the last race, are a bit higher than we’d want. This is the direct effect of the last weekend".
Scuderia Ferrari claimed the second row in Suzuka in the Japanese Grand Prix Qualifying, the best result for the Maranello team in traditional qualifying sessions this season. In this regard, Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur comments on the Qualifying result:
"We were probably more competitive in Q1 and Q2, while in Q3, we struggled a bit more. Fourth place is not the goal we want to achieve, but we are making progress, and we need to keep going in this direction. Charles did an excellent final chicane in the first run of Q3, but didn’t do it as well in the second. We need to analyze what happened to him. Anyway, even putting together a perfect lap, we’re 0.2 seconds behind the McLarens, so we need to keep working. I haven’t spoken to him yet; we need to understand what happened to Lewis in Q3 because up to Q2, he was battling with Charles to the thousandth of a second. Anything could have happened, maybe a wrong setup choice during the qualifying evolution or the wind. To better understand the car, a dry race would be better; however, the conditions will be the same for everyone, and if it rains before the start, the track will change, as will the wind".
George Russell was, together with Lando Norris, the only driver to have been on the podium in both races so far this year. However, for the British Mercedes driver, it will be tough to extend this positive streak in Japan. In the qualifying session on Suzuka’s track, Russell could only manage fifth place.
However, the growing ambition of George Russell this year can be understood by listening to the statements he made after qualifying:
"P5 is definitely an insufficient result for us today. We’ve seemed strong all weekend, and I believe we had a car that could fight for the front row. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to put the lap together at the crucial moment. As the session went on, the track cooled down. By the time of our final attempt, the tires were a bit too cold at the beginning of the lap, and I had a difficult moment in turn two. That cost me a couple of tenths, and I wasn’t able to improve my first attempt".
Continuing with his analysis, Russell also tries to look at the positive side:
"Even though we’re disappointed, P5 isn’t a bad starting position. We’ve had good pace all weekend, and I feel confident with the car. Let’s see what the weather brings us tomorrow, but whether it’s dry or wet, I believe we can be in the fight for the podium. If it rains, this track will be even more challenging. We saw in Melbourne how chaotic a race can be, so in any circumstances, we’ll try to take advantage of it".
Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s first-ever F1 qualifying at Suzuka ended with a solid sixth place, as the rookie will start from the third row alongside his teammate George Russell, who was just a couple of tenths faster than him. Not a bad result for the Italian driver, who also took satisfaction in putting his Ferrari ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s, who qualified eighth.
"I’m pretty happy, especially considering I was completely lost in free practice. I went into qualifying with very little confidence. But I’m happy with how I progressed during the session. The lap I did wasn’t perfect, but I can be happy considering where I was after free practice".
With rain forecast for tomorrow, Antonelli can’t help but think of his brilliant F1 debut:
"The weather for the race? It looks like it’s going to rain, and that wouldn’t be bad, but we’ll see. In the end, I still have a lot to work on; I’ll look at the data tonight ahead of tomorrow’s race, and then we’ll see what happens".
On Sunday, April 6, 2025, when the five lights go out for the 53-lap encounter, Verstappen makes a smooth start to hold the lead from pole, with the McLarens also getting away well to maintain their starting positions. While the top 10 order remains the same, a close fight unfolds further back between Alonso and Gasly, the two scrapping over P11 before the Aston Martin comes out on top, while Bortoleto slips to the back of the field after running through a damp patch. Meanwhile, Tsunoda overtakes Lawson - the man he replaces at Red Bull - to move up into 13th within the first three laps, while Antonelli cuts a chicane in sixth place though does not gain a position in the Mercedes, with the top 10 standing as Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Russell, Antonelli, Hadjar, Hamilton, Albon, and Bearman. Up at the front, Verstappen builds a gap of more than one second from Norris by Lap 5. But things are not running entirely smoothly for the World Champion, who reports that his upshifts are really bad in the Red Bull. After getting his hard tyres up to temperature, Hamilton makes a move on Hadjar to claim seventh place on Lap 6, with his Mercedes replacement Antonelli the next in his sights a further two seconds up the road. Piastri continues to run in the DRS of Norris - having remained within a second of his teammate - while Verstappen stretches his lead out to two seconds, the Dutchman reporting that his upshifts feel better following those earlier issues. In an update that may be more welcome to some than others, Norris is told by his engineer that rain could possibly fall on Lap 20, though stresses that this doesn’t change their plan. Elsewhere, Stroll becomes the first driver to pit on Lap 10, the Canadian swapping his soft tyres for the hard compound to emerge in last place.
There is trouble further up the order for Albon in ninth, who complains that the shifts are so bad in his Williams. One driver seemingly a bit happier is Russell, the Mercedes man - who finished on the podium in Australia and China - chasing down Leclerc for fourth place, while Hamilton also continues to close in on Antonelli. Norris is informed that there is no sign of graining on any tyre compound as the McLaren driver continues to run some two seconds behind race leader Verstappen by Lap 14, with Piastri just over one second back from his teammate in third. Russell, meanwhile, drops back slightly from Leclerc, and Antonelli in sixth remains 1.8s clear of Hamilton. The top 10 order is completed by Hamilton, Hadjar, Albon, and Bearman, and further back Doohan becomes the latest driver to pit for the hard tyres in P19. On Lap 18, Norris is told that the area where he and Piastri are losing the most time to Verstappen is in the hairpin, before receiving a message to box to overtake Verstappen - only for the pit crew to then retreat again, meaning that the call is a dummy one in an attempt to get their rivals to stop first. One driver who does pit, though, is Russell, who stops for hard tyres on Lap 20 to return to the track in P13 behind Tsunoda. Piastri soon follows, putting him back out in P9 with the hard compound on ahead of Alonso. A burst of action then ensues in the pit lane, with Verstappen, Norris, and Leclerc all visiting the pits, and there is drama when Norris tries to go side-by-side with Verstappen - who, after a slow stop, has the line in the pit lane - at the exit, the McLaren then ending up on the grass and having a moment. Both drivers voice their displeasure at the incident over the radio, with Norris claiming that he is forced off the track while Verstappen believes he has the right of way. Amidst this drama, Antonelli takes the lead - leading by four seconds from Hamilton, the man he replaces at Mercedes. While the stewards note the incident between Verstappen and Norris, it is soon confirmed that there will be no investigation. Albon, meanwhile, is not happy following his pit stop for Williams, the Thai driver fuming over the radio:
"You guys make no sense. Ridiculous".
As the race reaches its halfway point on Lap 27, Antonelli leads from Hamilton - both yet to pit - with Verstappen, Norris, and Piastri completing the top five. Given that there will be no investigation into what happened at the pit exit, Norris is reminded by his engineer that he will have to overtake Verstappen on the track. Elsewhere, Sainz - still running on old medium tyres - is trying to defend against a chasing Hadjar in a scrap for P9, with the Racing Bulls rookie getting past the Williams into Turn 1. Hamilton, meanwhile, has a lock-up in the Ferrari, which allows Verstappen to snatch P2 before the Briton subsequently makes his pit stop for the medium rubber, dropping down to P7. After holding the lead well for numerous laps, Antonelli dives into the pits on Lap 32, bringing him back out in sixth on the hard tyres - but with his stop being slightly slow, the Italian has Hamilton right on his tail. Plenty of teamwork is playing out across the field, with Ocon asked to let Haas teammate Bearman by, while Gasly also swaps places with fellow Alpine driver Doohan. Meanwhile, Sainz and Lawson have both bolted on the soft tyres after going long on their opening stints, potentially making them ones to watch as the race enters its latter stages. On Lap 36 - with the gap at the front standing at 1.5s - Verstappen is told by race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase that he can push until the end, with Norris still in second ahead of Piastri in third, while Leclerc, Russell, Antonelli, Hamilton, Hadjar, Albon, and Bearman complete the top 10. One man not running in the points is Tsunoda, having stepped up to Red Bull for his debut with the team in front of his home crowd. The Japanese driver is down in 12th, though still ahead of Lawson in 17th for Racing Bulls. Things are getting intriguing at the front for the McLaren pair, with birthday boy Piastri rapidly closing in on Norris while Verstappen remains 1.4s clear in the lead.
"I think I have the pace to get Max".
Piastri tells his engineer - before Norris relays the same message in terms of his own pace. The Briton then seemingly backs this up by breaking clear of Piastri and starting to cut into Verstappen’s lead. Elsewhere, Antonelli sets a new fastest lap of the race during what has been another impressive event for the 18-year-old, having built a gap of seven seconds back to Hamilton.
Fellow rookies Hadjar and Bearman are also continuing to run in the points in eighth and 10th respectively. As the race enters its final five laps, Verstappen remains 1.3s ahead of Norris - but Piastri is again getting agonisingly close to his teammate, with the gap at times closing to just half a second. Antonelli, meanwhile, is trying to chase down fellow Mercedes driver Russell. Verstappen ultimately remains untouchable at the front, crossing the line 1.4s clear of Norris - and while the Briton has a bit of a messy moment across the final chicane on the last lap, he keeps P2 ahead of Piastri, the Australian calling Norris’ move cheeky over the team radio. Leclerc takes fourth for Ferrari, with Russell and Antonelli following in fifth and sixth respectively, meaning that the top six drivers remain in the same classification as they started in. Hamilton, meanwhile, moves up one place from his grid slot in seventh, with Hadjar scoring his first points of the campaign in eighth place. Albon adds a further two points to Williams’ tally in P9, while Bearman rounds out the top 10 for Haas. After securing the pole position in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix, Max Verstappen managed to repeat his performance, completing the job and claiming victory at the Suzuka circuit. The Dutch driver was perfect both at the start and throughout all 53 laps, managing to neutralize the ambitions of McLaren's two drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. In this regard, Red Bull Racing's Team Principal, Christian Horner, wants to emphasize:
"For us, the priority is the Drivers' Championship, while fighting for the Constructors' World Championship will be tougher. We know that this car has issues, and we are working hard to improve it. We made changes to the car with the aim of giving Max something he can feel more comfortable with".
Horner rejects any rumors about a possible departure of their driver:
"There’s always chatter, but we’re working incredibly hard to give Max the fastest car. And Max is giving us the tonic we need. The McLarens were fast, but Max pushed the car to its limits. We gave him a car that he was able to extract everything from. For us, it's like Mr. Motivator (a British TV fitness instructor, Ed.)".
He then comments on Yuki Tsunoda:
"He is settling into the team and understanding the car, in the next races he should take a step forward".
With this victory, Max Verstappen moves up in the standings, now just one point behind Lando Norris, a result that certainly wasn’t expected ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, when Red Bull Racing even held an emergency meeting to find a satisfactory technical direction for the future development of the RB21. At the end of the race, a relaxed Max Verstappen couldn’t help but make a sharp remark, especially towards Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri:
"I’m obviously happy with what I’m doing. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if I had been in that other car; in that case, they wouldn’t have seen me at all! I’d probably already be in Tokyo".
Lando Norris finished in second place in a rather uneventful Japanese Grand Prix, with only one real moment of tension, which involved the English driver and his now usual rival: Max Verstappen. The two, who spent nearly the entire race in first and second positions, both entered the pits together for the sole tire change. In this instance, the McLaren team's mechanics were quicker than their Red Bull Racing counterparts, and Lando Norris emerged from his pit box alongside Max Verstappen, although with the front end of his MCL39 slightly behind that of the Red Bull Racing car.
After removing the speed limiter, the British driver attempted an overtaking maneuver, but Verstappen, benefiting from his position and trajectory re-entering the track, squeezed him enough to force his rival’s wheels onto the grass. There was some radio exchange between the two, but Race Direction correctly decided not to intervene. After the race, during the typical interviews with the top three finishers, Lando Norris avoided any controversial remarks about the situation, acknowledging that Max Verstappen had not done anything illegal or unfair:
"These are the races, he was ahead and squeezed me a bit. After all, Max is the last person in the world I expect to give me space. But there was nothing unfair, so I have nothing more to add".
Looking at the overall race, Lando Norris didn’t seem too disappointed with his second-place finish:
"It was decided yesterday. Max had a great race, no mistakes. Our pace today was too similar to his to do anything more. The race was long, and we pushed hard, gave it our all from start to finish. We couldn't have done more, we didn’t have anything special to overtake Max. They were fast and didn’t make mistakes, they deserve the win. The weekend was good. We didn’t get the win, but they’ve improved and are catching up. But it’s not bad to finish second on a not-perfect weekend".
In the press conference, however, Lando Norris raised some doubts about the strategy adopted by McLaren. In a Grand Prix that seemed to revolve around a single pit stop, many observers were surprised by the decision to stop Lando Norris at the same time as Max Verstappen, thus preventing the British driver from attempting an undercut (stopping before his rival) or an overcut (stopping later). This was especially surprising considering that Piastri had stopped earlier than the leading duo.
"Maybe we could have tried something more with the strategy. We could have tried an overcut or an undercut, but for some reason, we made the stop in the same lap. We’ll discuss a few things, but it was good points for us as a team".
Looking at the race as a whole, Lando Norris still believes the outcome was determined by the results of qualifying:
"I had Max within reach throughout the race, but then I couldn’t make any progress. So I think having clean air was enough to allow him to stay in that position, and he didn’t make any mistakes. He had a good race. The race was won yesterday, in hindsight. We know that the better the starting position, the higher the chances of winning. I think our pace was slightly better, but not enough to overcome the dirty air and get into the DRS zone. After that, overtaking is a whole different story because it’s practically impossible to pass here. I would have liked more, but sometimes you have to accept second place".
Two-thirds of the way through the race, Oscar Piastri tried to break the stalemate by getting into the DRS zone of his teammate, hoping to convince his team that he could overtake Lando Norris and then attempt an attack on Max Verstappen, a plan he had also communicated over the radio. However, the McLaren team did not ask Lando Norris to slow down, and the latter (helped by the difficulty of overtaking at Suzuka) had no particular problems in keeping his teammate behind. Piastri had to settle for 16 points, which puts him 13 points behind Norris in the Drivers' Championship standings:
"I think we adopted a more conservative strategy because it seemed like the best thing to do. I said what I felt, I had really good pace. The team let us race. If they had let me pass, I would have really liked that. If I had been in Lando’s position, I would have preferred the decision that was made. It’s still a good points haul and a great result for the team. I think today the pace was really good, and I was very happy with it. We were close to overtaking a few times, but track position here is very important. I think the race was actually decided in qualifying, but yesterday we weren’t able to put everything together, so I’m absolutely taking the podium".
The Japanese Grand Prix was not unforgettable for Scuderia Ferrari: the team secured a fourth-place finish with Charles Leclerc, and a seventh-place finish - after a rather uneventful race, although he gained a position compared to the start - with Lewis Hamilton. The Monegasque driver finished 16 seconds behind the winner, Max Verstappen. In 2024, Carlos Sainz Jr., who finished third, was 20 seconds behind, while Charles Leclerc, in fourth, was 26 seconds behind.
"There's a 0.3s per lap gap between us and the McLarens and Max? Yes, I think that's a fair assessment. Today, saying we were 0.2-0.3s behind in qualifying and 0.2-0.3s behind on average in the race, I believe that's a pretty accurate picture. We can always do better over a weekend, but I think that’s true for everyone. The picture we have at the end is probably the current picture, and we need to work from here".
Starting on hard tires, Lewis Hamilton wasn’t able to close the gap to the Mercedes drivers when he switched to the medium tires. Vasseur explains to the media what he thinks happened:
"There wasn’t a big difference between the hard and medium tires. In the end, the degradation was almost the same between the two compounds, and the performance was nearly the same. That’s why Lewis was able to follow the others' pace at the start of the race when he had the hard tires and didn’t have a much better rhythm towards the end when he had the mediums. Because the difference between the two compounds was very small".
Regarding the updates for the SF-25, Vasseur says he’s not in a hurry:
"Before bringing updates and increasing performance levels, we need to fix the issues we had in the last race with the balance, making the best of the car we have today. As soon as we’ve maximized it, it will make sense to take a step forward. But we’re taking it race by race and focusing on this. We’ll definitely bring updates, but I think everyone will do the same. Don’t expect everything to change in one day. We are trying to make the most of the car. I’m sure there’s still potential to unlock, and it will be a challenge in the next two races".
Nothing can be blamed on Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver got the most out of the car both in qualifying and in the race: another fourth-place finish. So, at the end of the race, Charles Leclerc can only highlight the mixed feelings he is experiencing at the moment:
"I’m partly happy because the feeling was better, and I have a clear idea of what I want to do for the next races to feel comfortable and to achieve better results. That said, though, the fourth place doesn’t make me smile: today we were perfect, and we gave it our all, and that’s why it hurts to see that we finish in P4 with a team that couldn’t do better, always 0.2-0.3s behind McLaren and Red Bull Racing. The gap can be closed. Whatever the starting point of this year is, we always need to look ahead and try to make small steps in the right direction. As a starting point, it wasn’t much, but this is what we can do for now. On one hand, we need to be happy about having a good performance that maximized the car’s potential, but on the other hand, we shouldn’t be happy that it resulted in P4. We need to push as much as possible, but I know the team in Maranello is doing that, and starting from Bahrain, I hope we’ll have a bit more performance. Bahrain will be very important to understand the car. I’m going to Sakhir with a very different view from the tests; I have a very clear direction I want to take for my driving style, and I hope it pays off".
It has only been fifteen days since Lewis Hamilton’s victory celebration in the Sprint Race in China, but it already feels like a lifetime ago. And although the result of the Japanese Grand Prix is not to be completely forgotten, as happened at the end of the Chinese Grand Prix, the Scuderia Ferrari driver closes the weekend at Suzuka with many questions and few certainties. Not only because of a seventh place that can only be considered very disappointing and not even for the eighth position achieved in qualifying, but also and especially for the performances that were never up to the reputation and expectations. Then there’s the poor tire management, the result of an imperfect setup, but which led Lewis Hamilton to destroy the Hard tires ahead of schedule, without being able to take advantage of the theoretical extra speed that should have been provided by the Medium tires in the final stage of the race.
Nevertheless, the British driver doesn’t seem too disappointed with his performance at Suzuka.
"The car actually performed quite well, even though it wasn’t anything spectacular. We still lack some knowledge of certain components of the car, and I know I need to work on improving. We’re probably not the fastest team at the moment, so there will be improvements to make. I tried something different starting with the Hard tire. And I’m happy to have gained a position. Overall, it was a solid race, but the pace wasn’t like the others. The medium tires towards the end? I wasn’t expecting much, because compared to Charles, I was missing a bit of performance. Qualifying is very important, but even if I had qualified ahead of the Mercedes, I think at least one of them would have passed me because they had much more pace".
What went wrong with Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari during the Japanese Grand Prix?
"I think I did my best today, but in general, we’re lacking performance compared to all the cars ahead of me, especially Mercedes, McLaren, and of course Red Bull. We've found something on the car that hasn't been working in the last three races. So I really hope that once the issue is fixed, I’ll start getting better results. I'm losing just over a tenth per lap because of this problem, so I hope it gets resolved in the upcoming races. The team is aware of the issue, although they don't know what’s causing it, but as I said, when the updates come, we hope it will be fixed, and we can get back on equal footing with the other cars".
A mysterious reference, which might be linked to the much-discussed ground clearance and the fact that the car always has to run slightly higher compared to the rival cars, thus not being able to fully exploit its technical potential. It’s impossible to know now whether the solution might lie in the new floor, which is expected to debut in Bahrain and was an update already planned at the start of the season, before Ferrari and Hamilton took to the track for the pre-season tests in Sakhir.
"Considering what I had, I’m relatively satisfied with the race pace, and otherwise, the team’s performance was good. I think Riccardo and I did a great job, as did the engineers and mechanics. It was a rather solitary race, and I didn’t really have anyone around me. The start was good considering I was the only one on hard tires, and I had to struggle to warm them up in the first few laps and stay with the other drivers who had mediums. I extended the stint as much as I could, but overall, we didn’t have the pace".
Finally, Hamilton suggests that Ferrari might be the fourth force at the moment:
"It seems like we’re third or fourth at the moment, with Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes ahead, and then us. We have improvements to make".
For the first time since the start of the World Championship, George Russell drops off the podium. The British Mercedes driver couldn’t recover from the fifth position he achieved in qualifying yesterday, in a race that lacked drama. It’s a small step back personally compared to the first two Grand Prix, but it represents a confirmation of the absolute value of Mercedes, which is still far from the performance of McLaren and Max Verstappen. In this regard, the British driver wasn’t particularly optimistic about the next two races in this triple-header.
"I don’t think we’ve seen the best of McLaren yet. All these first races have been in cold conditions. In Bahrain, with 35 °C, and in Saudi Arabia with 37 °C, we should see them excel. We usually do quite well in cold conditions".
George Russell also claims that races with little spectacle in terms of overtakes, like the one in Suzuka, are also influenced by the tire compounds chosen by the Italian tire supplier.
"The last two races were single-stop races, and I think Pirelli should bring softer tires to circuits that have been resurfaced, because with hard tires, you can push to the maximum".
A practically perfect race, almost veteran-like, especially after a weekend that started uphill on a track terribly difficult for a debutant: gradually, Andrea Kimi Antonelli managed to find a solution, getting close to George Russell (for the first time this season) at the decisive moment of Qualifying, and showing race pace on par with the best. Not only that, despite losing the last opportunity to become the youngest winner of a Grand Prix in Formula 1, Kimi Antonelli still broke two precocity records previously held by Max Verstappen: the fastest lap and at least one lap in the lead.
"Getting into the lead was a great feeling, but it didn’t distract me from my objective, which was to keep a good race pace. I’m happy with how the race went, and especially with the pace I had on the Hard tires, but also the fact that in the last stint, I was able to push the car and play much more with it. I’m gaining more and more experience, weekend after weekend. I’m understanding the tires much better, how much I can push, and especially I’m understanding how much I can push the car, especially in qualifying. Now we’re going to a track I know much better next week (in Bahrain, ed.) and we’ll aim to have a better qualifying first. Then we’ll see what happens in the race".
So was it an impressive performance from the Italian driver?
"Well, I don’t like to define myself like that. But I have to say, I was also surprised by the pace we had, especially when I was told I was the fastest on track. I gave it my all, especially because I saw that I was catching up to those in front, so I believed it until the end. Unfortunately, though, I came up short".