The Japanese Grand Prix may be just the third race of the Formula One season, but it marks the start of a five-week hiatus after Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were canceled because of the war in Iran. The next race is scheduled for May 3 in Miami.
So far, Australia and China have shown Mercedes and Ferrari leading the pack, having adapted best to F1’s most radical changes in power units and chassis in more than a decade.
George Russell and Kimi Raikkönen have each claimed a win, while Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc have swapped third and fourth places. Both teams are favorites on Suzuka’s legendary figure-eight layout, a narrow, twisting circuit in central Japan with only one major straight for overtaking.
Unlike the modern, wide tracks of Shanghai or Melbourne, Suzuka is classic F1: technical, demanding, and steeped in history.
Hamilton has won the Japanese Grand Prix five times, four of them at Suzuka, as he surges back near the top of the standings after two races.
McLaren has struggled after winning last season’s drivers’ championship with Lando Norris and the constructors’ title. The team failed to start the race in China two weeks ago because of engine and electrical problems.
Asked Thursday if the problems had been resolved, Norris said: "I think it took a little bit of time to figure things out, but yes. Of course it hurt us as a team, certainly didn’t make us look good to have two cars not starting a race.”
Norris praised the team, which includes Oscar Piastri. McLaren had the best car on the grid the last two seasons, winning the constructors’ title both years.
"Now is just as good a time as ever to prove exactly what we can do as a team, against Ferrari, against Mercedes, who are performing very well at the minute,” Norris said.
Red Bull and four-time champion Max Verstappen, who retired in China, have also faced challenges. Verstappen has been vocal about this season’s radical F1 makeover, calling it "yo-yo racing” as top drivers surge to the front and quickly fall back.
Looking ahead to the five-week break, Verstappen said, "We just need to keep working, keep trying to put more performance on the car. Maybe the little break we have now is a good time to look back and analyze even more things. Basically, try to be better in Miami.”
Verstappen also kicked a journalist out of a Thursday interview, upset over coverage of his failed bid for a fifth consecutive drivers’ title last season.
Honda, which had enjoyed great success as Red Bull’s engine supplier, is off to a difficult start this season supplying Aston Martin after Red Bull switched to Ford power. The Japanese manufacturer’s power unit has caused severe vibrations, preventing both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll from completing the first two races.
Honda operates Suzuka, and it is not the kind of publicity the company wants at its home race. Simply finishing with both cars would be considered a victory.
Russell and Raikkönen were fastest Friday in the first practice for Sunday’s race. Russell’s session-leading time was 1 minute, 31.666 seconds.
Another practice session is scheduled for later Friday, with a third session Saturday before qualifying.
The McLaren pair of Norris and Piastri followed the Mercedes and Ferrari drivers in the timesheets. The top six practice times were separated by just 0.374 seconds.
Alonso missed the early session. Spanish reports said he was late arriving in Japan because his partner, Melissa Jimenez, gave birth to the couple’s first child. The team said only Alonso was delayed for personal reasons.