Set your alarm clocks for midnight, it’s time for the Japanese Grand Prix.
The Australian Grand Prix was a rollercoaster of emotions, with Drivers Championship leader Max Verstappen retiring early and Ferrari seizing a 1-2 finish. But the real hero of the day was Carlos Sainz, who defied all odds and took the checkered flag just two weeks after an emergency surgery for appendicitis. Now, we look ahead to the Japanese Grand Prix and break down some storylines from the last two weeks.
The Fight for First
Ferrari and Red Bull are locked in a fierce battle for the top four spots in the Drivers Championship this season, with just eleven points separating the four drivers through the first three races. However, it is arguable that these results are less close than they appear — with Red Bull achieving 1-2 finishes in both races by both of their drivers. Furthermore, a three-place grid penalty further impeded Sergio Perez’s Australia effort, dropping him from P3 to P6 after qualifying.
The burden is, therefore, still on Ferrari to prove that they are true contenders, and the Japanese Grand Prix could be a make-or-break moment for them. They will need to improve on their 2023 result, where they finished 4th and 6th.
They also aren’t the only team looking to fight for top places. McLaren currently occupies fifth and sixth place in the Driver’s Championship, and after a slow start with lower points finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, they have begun to build momentum. The British team finished third and fourth in Australia, scoring their first podium. They will be looking to continue to improve with their first race win of the season in Japan.
Aston vs Mercedes and the Gunfight at the Midfield Corral
It has certainly not been the season that Mercedes has hoped for. After finishing second in the Constructors Championship in 2023, they have fallen back instead of making progress and currently sit in fourth, well back from third place McLaren.
Now firmly entrenched in this year’s midfield, the team has begun to fight it out with a familiar rival, Aston Martin. This came to a head at the end of the Australian Grand Prix, with Mercedes driver George Russel chasing Aston Martin Driver Fernando Alonso. At turn six on the last lap, Alonso hit the break early, causing Russell to slam into the wall before settling in the middle of the track. Alonso received a 20-second penalty for the incident, causing him to drop from P6 to P8 in the race results.
Aston and Mercedes will renew their rivalry this weekend at Suzuka, a track where lead Merc driver Lewis Hamilton has won five times, with Fernando Alonso claiming two race wins in his own right.
For the two other teams that have scored points this year, RB and Haas, defending the place that they have staked out for themselves will be the goal in Japan. RB driver Daniel Riccardo will be under particular pressure. The Australian, who has yet to win the team points this year, has reportedly been told that he must score points in the next few weeks or face replacement by reserve driver Liam Lawson.
Backmarkers Looking to Score
Three teams have yet to score a point this season: Williams, Kick Sauber, and Alpine. All three will be hoping to break that streak this week.
Williams had a chaotic race in Australia, with Alex Albon doing significant damage to his car chassis. The damage was so much that the team was forced to withdraw second driver Logan Sargeant from the race, with Albon driving his car instead. The Thai driver then went on to just miss the points, finishing P11. Back with two cars, the once-legendary British team will be looking to break through into the points this weekend.
For Sauber, a wheel nut problem has plagued their season so far, leading to ultra-long pitstops and killing any chance at points. Solving these issues will be the first step to getting the team back to points contention, and only time will tell whether they will this weekend.
Lastly, for Alpine, this season has begun a disaster, which I have covered in previous weeks. Australia showed no real improvement for the team, ending with a P13 and P16 finish. However, this week, the French team has promised to bring new upgrades along with weight-shedding measures, leading to a new glimmer of hope for Alpine fans.
The Japanese Grand Prix will begin at 1 AM ET on April 7th. Check out stats, news, results, and odds here.
