Hello, welcome to the wrap-up of the Japanese Grand Prix, where Mercedes continued their strong start to the season with Kimi Antonelli\u2019s victory by thirteen seconds, making him the first teenager to lead the championship. The April break, even before Ollie Bearman\u2019s crash, was shaping up to be shaped by power unit politics.<\/p>\n
McLaren were in my view, one of the big winners, showing perhaps the biggest gains so far, but they still appear to be on the back foot compared to Mercedes. Also facing the challenge is Ferrari. We may be heading into a break, the first significant break of the year, but F1 politics will define April.<\/p>\n
FP1 saw George Russell set the fastest time with a 31.666, which put him a quarter of a second ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli. Mercedes\u2019 gap appeared to slightly narrow with Lando Norris a tenth and a quarter further behind, as McLaren made a decent start to the weekend, Oscar Piastri seven hundredths further behind.<\/p>\n
FP2 was topped by Piastri, who set a 30.113, putting his McLaren just under a tenth faster than Antonelli with the second Mercedes of Russell just over a tenth further behind. Norris was fourth ahead of the Ferrari duo, with Charles Leclerc two tenths behind, followed by Lewis Hamilton.<\/p>\n
FP3 saw Antonelli go fastest with a 29.362, which put him a quarter of a second faster than Russell. But Mercedes looked to have a six-tenths advantage over Leclerc after their soft run; the Ferraris were split by Piastri, who was two hundredths faster than Hamilton.<\/p>\n
Qualifying, Antonelli beat Russell to pole by just under three tenths as he set 28.778 on his first attempt of the decisive shootout. Russell, on the other hand, was compromised by issues with grip in Q1 and Q2. Piastri was third and at one stage leading Q2, but he was no match for Mercedes, with him six tenths behind Russell. Charles Leclerc put his Ferrari between the McLarens, the Monacan was just under three tenths behind Piastri.<\/p>\n
Antonelli took a 13-second win ahead of Piastri despite initially losing out to Piastri and slipping to sixth, and was able to take advantage of a safety car caused by a heavy crash by Ollie Bearman. Russell was left fuming after the incident, and pit stop dropped him behind Piastri and Leclerc.<\/p>\n
The Mercedes tracked Piastri within a second for several laps and then overtook him into the chicane on lap eight, only for the McLaren to move back past down the pit straight at the start of the following lap. But that was the only time he was able to get close as the McLaren driver\u2019s confidence built.<\/p>\n
Mercedes and McLaren have confirmed that two separate battery issues prevented them from starting the Chinese Grand Prix.<\/p>\n
Two weeks ago, the reigning back-to-back champions suffered a disastrous Sunday in Shanghai when Norris was unable to get to the starting grid, with the team scrambling to fix what was described as an electronics issue on the power unit side. Soon after, Piastri suffered a similar-looking issue while already on the grid, with the Australian’s car having to be wheeled back as both drivers failed to start the grand prix.<\/p>\n
Though McLaren and Mercedes haven\u2019t confirmed the sources, Motorsport.com understands Norris’ battery was plagued by a software problem that bricked the battery and made it unusable, and it is believed the unit is permanently damaged and removed from Norris’ component pool.<\/p>\n
Piastri was instead understood to be struck by a hardware issue with an auxiliary component connecting the battery, and there is some optimism that the Australian’s battery can continue to be used after fixing the individual part.<\/p>\n
The Norris battery issue appears to have potentially more serious consequences for the season as he has lost one of his three for the season, though all drivers have been given a \u2018joker\u2019 third battery because this is the first year of the cycle.<\/p>\n
Norris was frustrated by what he described as a \u201cterrible\u201d Friday where reliability hampered his running. McLaren appeared to find pace for the first time this season with Piastri fastest by nearly a tenth ahead of Kimi Antonelli, but the world champion lost a third of FP2 because of a hydraulic leak. He also didn\u2019t do performance running for most of FP1, as McLaren did aerodynamic testing<\/p>\n
After the session, he said, \u201cEven FP1, a lot of my running was just aero running. So even the few laps I did get were not representative for me. I, of course, have data to look at, but around a track like this, you just want laps.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t care what data I can look at, you just want laps under your belt to give you good confidence and good knowledge, which I got some of at the end, but I\u2019m just two or three steps behind at the minute with setup, with no long running.\u201d<\/p>\n
After qualifying Norris said he was stratified to start fifth following his difficulties in practice, the world champion was four thousandths behind Leclerc, which was a solid performance given he was on the backfoot going into qualifying. It feels to me as if MCLaren are egding there way back to being a stronger force in the mix at the front.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cTo be ahead of one of the Ferraris after the weekend we’ve had, I think I’m pretty happy about that. It’s been difficult watching the TV more than driving in the car this weekend, or the season, actually. Not been our weekend so far but I was a bit happy with Quali and just getting a few more laps under my belt and getting comfortable.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust always one or two steps behind and as soon as I do something better then I need to fix somewhere else. It’s just painful but I think it could have been a lot worse with the amount of laps I’ve done. I’m happy. We’re in a good position and we’ll see how we do in the race.\u201d<\/p>\n
I agree that McLaren, at this stage, and particularly this weekend, has been on the back foot as they fix one problem, then another comes. But maybe Norris could be starting to show us that, now having experience and being a champion with the confidence that brings, he can drag results and maximise things in a similar way to Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton.<\/p>\n
Despite having got between the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with Piastri further ahead in P3, Norris was unsure of his potential pace for Sunday’s 53-lap race due to the lack of running in practice, particularly on high fuel. But as Piastri said after qualifying, McLaren still lacks pace, after he was three and a half tenths off pole.<\/p>\n
The Australian qualified third behind Russell by around a quarter of a tenth, in what has been a much stronger weekend, and I believe he couldn\u2019t have got more out of the car, as he said. Piastri told reporters, \u201cI think that was more or less all we had. The last lap of Q3 wasn\u2019t great, but the first lap was pretty solid, so all in all, I\u2019m pretty happy with that. It\u2019s nice to get a bit closer to Mercedes, so hopefully we can stay there tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Piastri believes that they have managed to take a step forward in Japan without bringing any major upgrades to the car, which could partly be down to the unique characteristics of the circuit. He put this down to what has been one of McLaren\u2019s strengths over the last cycle has been how every upgrade moved them forward if they can do it this season, they could be back in title contention next year as they aren\u2019t as far back as 2022.<\/p>\n
After the race, Norris says the team has plenty of \u201cgood signs\u201d from their performance in Japan, as they delivered their highest scoring round of the season so far. This weekend has been the perfect bounce back for McLaren after the disaster in Shanghai, with Piastri second and Norris fifth. I agree with the feeling I have had watching and listening this weekend that they have sorted the issues they had in Barcelona and Sakhir testing.<\/p>\n
They could be a team to watch over this break.<\/p>\n
After a quick getaway saw the Briton improve from fifth to third, he struggled to defend against the faster Mercedes of George Russell, who recovered from a poor opening lap to find a way back past Norris and Charles Leclerc.<\/p>\n
Norris said, \u201cIt was a good start. I think the pace was good, and I think we were decent. Clearly the Mercedes was still on another level, but we could have a nice race with the Ferraris. It was tricky for the first fifteen laps to be quite swamped consistently by the Mercedes behind, which went on to win the race. The Ferraris around us are pretty similar on pace so it was a good fight at times.\u201d<\/p>\n
Norris gradually became embroiled in a close battle with the second Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton, with the pair exchanging positions back and forth throughout the latter stint. He had no choice but to make the move stick after Hamilton was cleared of cutting the chicane to gain an advantage, and finally managed to pass him.<\/p>\n
Asked whether he felt the team had taken a step forward, he responded: \u201cIt\u2019s more than that things were just better. We\u2019ve not really made a step. We improved the engine side of things and maximised the power unit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was also easier to do that around here, but from a car point of view, we\u2019re still a long way off so I think that\u2019s a good sign that we still finished second and fifth. The car is still a good challenge, so in a way that\u2019s a positive thing, not a negative thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
CEO and team principal Toto Wolff is wary of “political knives” towards Mercedes as they continued their perfect start to the season, with three wins from three Grands Prix. Going into round three, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli had won a Grand Prix apiece, both leading Mercedes one-twos, after early battles with the Ferraris in Australia and China, which continued this weekend.<\/p>\n
three periods of Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) during the season. Teams judged to be at least two per cent behind the manufacturer with the best-performing internal combustion engine awarded development opportunities. The first ADUO is due to be after the sixth round of the season in Monaco in June, although this may change following the cancellations of April’s Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix.<\/p>\n
There are also ongoing discussions about F1’s current state of racing and whether there is too much reliance on electrical deployment, which has contributed to a yoyo style of overtakes and re-overtakes. The new 2026 power units are 50 per cent electric and 50 per cent internal combustion engine.<\/p>\n
Wolff told Sky Sports, before Ollie Bearman\u2019s huge crash on Sunday, \u201cWe have a good car, at this stage, that is capable of winning. Let’s see what kind of political knives are going to come out in the next few weeks and months. But at the moment, it’s a car that is capable of winning.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Austrian is wary that the Italian is in his second year after a mixed debut season, where he finished on the podium three times but also made several mistakes. But despite an FP3 crash in Melbourne, he bounced back strongly, immediately qualifying and finishing second.<\/p>\n
Wolff added, \u201cWhen he went off on the Saturday morning, it was not like he carried the whole thing into the briefing. He came in and said, ‘that wasn’t good’, but he kind of compartmentalised and said, ‘OK, let’s move on’. And then it wasn’t there anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a feature that I’ve seen with great sportspeople. You make the mistake, you analyse, you look at the data, you find your answers and then you put it back, put it in a box. And that’s what he’s doing. The interaction in the engineering room, there’s just so much maturity that he has learned over the last twelve months.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wolff revealed Antonelli also needs to learn to say “no” to people despite the high interest in the teenager. This was highlighted at Imola last year, when his school friends attended the race, which proved to be a distraction, resulting in the Italian crashing in practice at both Imola and Monza.<\/p>\n
He added: “It’s something that actually comes naturally with him. Similar to the talent in the car, he’s always been someone that is able to capture a room and capture people for himself. He’s quite affectionate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following Friday\u2019s practice, Russell admits that the pace of McLaren was “a little bit of a surprise”. The team were pushed to second for the first time this season during FP2, with Antonelli finishing nearly a tenth off Piastri with Russell a further tenth behind his teammate.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cMcLaren were pretty fast so [that was] a little bit of a surprise to be honest. There’s still some improvements we need to do so a bit of work to do tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked if he thought McLaren’s pace was genuine, Russell suggested there was more that Mercedes need to do in order to continue its winning start to the campaign. Adding \u201cI don’t see why it wouldn’t be genuine to be honest. I think Lando’s had a disruptive day but Oscar has been pretty on it from the first lap out of the box this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ll find out come Qualifying. I think we’ve got some more to give and things weren’t quite optimised, especially on my side with the energy management, so hopefully a little bit more to come tomorrow. I think there’s some quite big differences in the deployment between teams and what’s been optimised over the course of the lap. I think we didn’t quite have that right and it should be a relatively easy fix.\u201d<\/p>\n
After qualifying, Russell said his struggles with the car meant he would go into the race \u201chandcuffed\u201d after getting his set up wrong. The Englishman started from second after being outqualified by Antonelli by three tenths after the two looked to be on the pace.<\/p>\n
He told Sky Sports, \u201cWe made an adjustment on the rear of the car before qualifying but it was tiny, it was meant to be transparent. And I went out and it was so bad it felt like something was broken on the rear.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt didn’t improve, I just had to adjust my driving style a lot, I had to remove a huge amount of front wing to compensate, because it was almost like I was spinning off on the entries of the corners. The last corner, I couldn’t get round, I was almost spinning in that corner.\u201d<\/p>\n
These mistakes are what we expected at the start of the season as teams are facing in adjusting to the 2026 cars, which feature both new power units and chassis. But given the advantage they have its wasn\u2019t as damaging as it could have been if the field was a lot tighter.<\/p>\n
Things didn\u2019t get better for Russell in the race, with him losing out under the safety car, leading to him finishing fourth nearly half a second behind Leclerc, meaning he lost the championship lead to Antonelli. He stopped a lap before Ollie Bearman\u2019s crash, and as the others got a free stop he dropped back to finish fourth.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cIn racing, sometimes it goes for you, sometimes it goes against you. It just feels like at the moment, in the last two weekends, it’s like every issue we’re having, it’s on my side and I’m the one sort of going through that pain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked to explain why, he responded: \u201cJust how it’s turned out. I can’t really give you more of an answer to that. It’s like, sometimes people have problems in practice, we’ve not had a single issue in practice this whole season, I’ve had the problems in qualifying.<\/p>\n
\u201cLando hasn’t had any problems in qualifying; he’s had all the problems in practice. So, it’s just luck of the draw with these new cars. It’s race three of 22, I’m not concerned at all with what is [going] on here, and I know I’ve got what it takes to sort of bounce back.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was just bad luck to me; in hindsight, he would have likely won that race if he had stayed out until the safety car. Mercedes didn\u2019t make mistakes; they looked to have the race under control, but the Bearman accident came at a bad time for Russell.<\/p>\n
Following practice where he struggled with issues and a lack of pace, Max Verstappen accepts that he shouldn\u2019t \u201cexpect miracles overnight\u201d. Red Bull has so far been unable to optimise their challenger in the opening rounds of the season, with both Verstappen and teammate Isack Hadjar struggling with handling and reliability.<\/p>\n
Following FP2 where he finished tenth 1.3 seconds off the pace, he said \u201cNot very good, to be honest \u2013 lacking balance, grip, two opposites from FP1 to FP2, and both of them are not very good, so from our side a lot of work to be done to also understand why we\u2019re having these kinds of big problems at the moment. Not a good day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou just try to correct one thing and you get another one, but never finding a good balance basically.\u201d Despite this being a whole new car \u2018m wondering if the team are still struggling with the brain drain almost two years after Adrain Newey left the F1 programme and all the upheaval we have seen since the civil war in early 2024.<\/p>\n
Add into that, the team with Ford have built their first power unit, which is no easy task, coupled with what appears mainly to be aerodynamic woes, which are the easier of the two to fix. Both drivers are struggling with the handling as we are seeing snaps of oversteer.<\/p>\n
Chief engineer, Paul Monaghan, explained that their performance currently doesn\u2019t match \u201cthe standards we set ourselves\u201d, but they have clear improvements to make ahead of FP3 and the all-important Qualifying hour.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve identified some things that are wrong, which is nice because we\u2019ve got a chance to correct it. Now the question is how to correct it, so we\u2019re busy bees looking at that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Things didn\u2019t get better for Verstappen in qualifying when he was \u201cbeyond frustrated\u201d after missing out on Q3 by a tenth and a half, once again complaining his Red Bull was \u201cundrivable\u201d. This marked the first GP qualifying knock out for the Ditchman on pure pace since Baku 2024.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cI mean, I’m not even frustrated anymore. I’m beyond that, so that’s a bit – I don’t know the right word in English for it. I don’t know what to make of it, to be honest. I don’t get upset about it, I don’t get disappointed or frustrated by it anymore with what’s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n
This weekend, Red Bull has brought their first in-season upgrades, new sidepods, floor and engine cover, but Verstappen suggested only he has the new parts, but it has not improved the car’s performance.<\/p>\n
Team principal Laurent Mekies is hoping Red Bull can develop their way back towards the front but suggests his crew are yet to figure out what’s causing so many balance issues.<\/p>\n
He told Sky Sports before qualifying, \u201cIt’s important to first understand what we are trying to address as a limitation, then the development race will start and hopefully we can make up ground. We are missing overall performances in many different areas. It’s not a surprise, it’s not a position we are happy with. We would prefer to be up there with the guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are problems which, in my view, go back as far as mid-2024, I expected given they were building their own power unit with Ford they would need to be patient. It was going to be tough for Verstappen, as he generally is a very driven driver and can be arrogant, not in a good way.<\/p>\n
Hadjar claimed after the race that his car was undrivable to the point it was dangerous; the Frenchman finished the Grand Prix twelfth, nearly four seconds behind Nico Hulkenberg. He lost three places at the start and then appeared unable to recover places and get himself back into the points.<\/p>\n
Asked about the poor result, the Frenchman said, \u201cIt’s not even 1% of how bad this race was. So it’s no big deal. It’s just I need to understand why that battery situation, and so early. Because I was comfortable in eighth. The plan was to fight Pierre [Gasly], which we were doing, and it all faded away with an empty battery. And then you’re just powerless.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hadjar was fighting with the sister Racing Bull of Arvid Lindblad, who was given a warning by the stewards for moving under braking before the chicane \u2013 which the Red Bull driver branded as \u201cnot very useful for both of us, but it’s OK, he’s young\u201d.<\/p>\n
Verstappen has said he is considering retiring at the end of 2026, admitting he is “not enjoying the sport” after finishing eighth. The dutchman who has been fiercely critical of F1’s controversial new regulations, come after another disappointing weekend.<\/p>\n
These stories are nothing new, asked directly by BBC News, whether he could walk away at the end of this season, two years before the end of his Red Bull contract.<\/p>\n
he said, \u201cThat’s what I’m saying. I’m thinking about everything inside this paddock. Privately I’m very happy. You also wait for twenty-four races\u2026 And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you’re not enjoying your sport?\u201d<\/p>\n
There has been reports from the Dutch De Telegraaf, which has a reputation for good reporting on Verstappen, that he could sensationally quit the sport. The newspaper reports “crucial weeks ahead,” referring to the month break from racing due to the cancelled races in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
The only time I can think of a driver like Verstappen walking away is Niki Lauda in Montreal 1979, but that was towards the end of the season. We know over the past month, he has been a vocal critic.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201ccan easily accept to be in P7 or P8 where I am. Because I also know that you can’t be dominating or be first or second or whatever, fighting for a podium every time. I’m very realistic in that and I’ve been there before. I’ve not only been winning in F1.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut at the same time, when you are in P7 or P8 and you are not enjoying the whole formula behind it, it doesn’t feel natural to a racing driver. Of course, I try to adapt to it, but it’s not nice the way you have to race. It’s really anti-driving. Then at one point, yeah, it’s just not what I want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Verstappen, to me, has been a driver who has been clear that he will never go for a long career, whether it\u2019s frustration at the situation he is in I don\u2019t know. This has been a tough weekend as well, but in the break he will be racing in the N\u00fcrburgring 24 Hours and last weekend he was disqualified from a sportscar race.<\/p>\n
Former Haas team principal Gunther Steiner believes that Charles Leclerc will beat Lewis Hamilton over the course of the season. While the seven-time champion entered the 2026 season rejuvenated after a personal ‘reset’ and claimed his first Ferrari podium at the Chinese Grand Prix, the former Haas team principal believes that Leclerc will be hungrier for the championship.<\/p>\n
During an episode of The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner was asked if Hamilton would beat Leclerc this season. He said, \u201cI think what Charles has got on his side is his age. It’s very close, but in the end, I think Charles will beat Lewis. That’s my opinion. And I think the biggest thing for me is the age. If Lewis were ten years younger, maybe there would be something different.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not only the age that you’re not as good physically, but also what you’re doing. It’s also… Lewis is a seven-time world champion. Charles, how many? Zero. So he’s more hungry, he has more appetite.”<\/p>\n
I think that Hamilton has made a decent start after his tough season last year, but as I\u2019ve said and he admitted has to work harder because he is in his forties. His difficult season last year has prompted rumours of retirement, but Hamilton responded by posting positive messages on social media.<\/p>\n
Following Sakhir testing, he wrote, \u201cThat\u2019s a wrap on testing. It\u2019s inspiring to watch a team pull out all the stops to build a car. It\u2019s the most fascinating part of this job for me. Everything is built from scratch and designed and redesigned over and over. And then there are only a few of us who get to put that machine to the test. That feeling never gets old. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone in the team back at the factory for the hard work to get to this point!! I am truly grateful\u201d<\/p>\n
Leclerc believes Ferrari isn\u2019t as close to Mercedes as people think to take the fight, with the Monegasque insisting the team are working “extremely hard” on upgrades to win races in 2026.<\/p>\n
The Italian manufacturer has had an encouraging start to the season, with podiums in the opening two rounds. They look on race pace to be able to challenge Mercedes if they get everything right, but lack in outright pace to challenge the Silver Arrows when it comes to qualifying.<\/p>\n
Asked on Thursday, just how close Ferrari is to Mercedes, Leclerc admitted, \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s as close as what people think. Obviously, seeing the first few races, we see lots of fighting between the cars, which is actually quite nice, but as soon as you\u2019re a little bit suboptimal with these cars, you lose a lot of lap time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur only chance to stay with them is to annoy them in the first few laps, but as soon as they get free air, they\u2019ve shown their real pace in the last race. I think there\u2019s still these four or five-tenths that we\u2019ve seen so far in the first two races, so it\u2019s still a significant advantage. That doesn\u2019t discourage me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leclerc says that Ferrari were \u2018a little unlucky\u201d by the timing of the safety car caused by the Bearman incident. At the start, he had lost a place to George Russell, which prompted him to make an early pit stop, then he became stuck behind Lando Norris after the safety car.<\/p>\n
Then, Hamilton and the second Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli pitted and rejoin in front, before overtakes on Russell and then Hamilton moved Leclerc up to P3 at the chequered flag.<\/p>\n
Leclerc said, \u201cIt was a bit of a sweaty one this one. Obviously with the Safety Car we got a little unlucky so from that moment onwards I knew that I was a little bit on the back foot, especially compared to Kimi and Lewis. But then I was like, let’s keep pushing, let’s try and keep those tyres and bring them to the end and actually it wasn’t that much of a disadvantage as I thought.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ferrari were caught out by the safety car but this isn\u2019t down to strategy like we have gotten used to in recent years, you can\u2019t predict incidents. Leclerc believes they lost time behind Piastri, and Hamilton lost out more because of the safety car dropping from third to sixth, finishing a second and a half behind Norris.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cNot surprised. I was struggling with power all race, so no, not particularly [surprised]. Need to go through it with a fine comb. Pretty terrible weekend in general to get a result like that. But there are some points there so we take them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hamilton added \u201cPretty terrible ultimately because I was P3 and I ended up going backwards. I just need to understand where I was losing all the power, I had a real lack of power, particularly in the second stint, but even at the beginning I couldn’t keep up with people just through a lack of power.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don’t understand this. I’m full gas, managing where I’m asked to manage and for some reason just lacking power, so I need to figure out if there’s something wrong with the car or not. Still, we got some points.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carlos Sainz has become the latest driver to voice his concerns about the new regulations introduced this season. Most of the critics are around the power unit, which is around a 50:50 split in electrical and internal combustion power. As a result, drivers have had to adapt their style to recharge onboard batteries to have enough power to cover a lap.<\/p>\n
This means that drivers need to do a bit of lift and coast to top up the batteries, and drivers have more systems and setting to control over a lap. Sainz has now raised his own concerns about F1\u2019s new era, suggesting that some aspects of the regulations \u201cdefinitely needs a rethink\u201d.<\/p>\n
Asked by Motorsport.com for his thoughts on the new regulations following round two in Shanghai, he said, \u201cI think in a track like China they’re not that bad, because we are very energy-rich and harvesting-rich, which in the end means the engines behave very different to last year, but not as different as they did in Melbourne. I think Melbourne, Monza, Spa, it definitely needs a rethink.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think development will also do its part, but I’m also 100% sure this is not F1 the way I want to see it, and I’m also quite sure the people at the top also see that and know that, when you look at what they’re doing with graphics and everything, they’re trying to do their best to sell something that I think we all know is not the right formula for Formula 1.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sainz admitted that he hadn\u2019t expected the FIA to \u201cget it completely right at the start of the season\u201d, he hoped that F1 and its governing body could tweak the regulations to improve the spectacle. The GPDA director says he hopes for changes, as it’s not the best formula, but accepts it won\u2019t be completely right at the start of the season.<\/p>\n
This desire for change is an opinion that\u2019s shared with many in the paddock, with some calling for changes to the start procedure, energy allowances and even a return to naturally aspirated power units \u2013 which is unlikely to happen before F1\u2019s next engine shakeup in 2030\/31.<\/p>\n
Alex Albon has explained a bizarre post-qualifying rant where he jibed \u201cit\u2019s my driving style\u201d at fault for a Q1 exit. The British-Thai driver qualified seventeenth in his third Q1 or SQ1, knocked out in four qualifying sessions this season.<\/p>\n
Asking the team where he had been slower than Williams team-mate Carlos Sainz, he received the reply: \u201cYou probably don\u2019t want to know, but can probably guess.\u201d<\/p>\n
In response, Albon cut back: \u201cYes, I complain for three races in a row that there\u2019s something wrong, but I\u2019m sure that it\u2019s my driving style.\u201d<\/p>\n
asked by Crash.net what he could say about the potential issue on his car, Albon said: \u201cNothing I don\u2019t want to say outside of the team, but generally just working on some issues, I think. The car feels good, balance was good, I think we\u2019re quick in all the corners and we\u2019re lacking elsewhere, so we\u2019ll figure it out, but it\u2019s something that on the radio, I feel like it\u2019s been a thing for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we just need to keep going at it, and just keep pushing on and seeing if we can see an issue.\u201d There have been complaints from the drivers this season about the style of driving that they need to do, with drivers needing to lift off around high-speed corners in order to gain battery that can be deployed on the straights.<\/p>\n
Fernando Alonso has shared an update after the birth of his first child.\u00a0 The Spaniard arrived late at Suzuka for “personal family reasons”, which have now been confirmed to be the arrival of his child with his partner, Melissa Jimenez.<\/p>\n
Speaking after FP2, he told DAZN, “I\u2019m a little jet-lagged because I landed this morning, but here we are. We just finished FP2, and in a few hours it\u2019s time to sleep – I skipped the European night session.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked how his week had been and if it was as he had expected, the Spaniard added that both mother and baby were doing well. Adding \u201c”Well, you never really imagine anything specific. Things just happen as they happen, and there\u2019s a bit of stress and worry about everything going well. Fortunately, it went well, both for the mum and the baby. A super happy, very special moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
His focus then shifted back to practice and his performance; he confirmed they are\u00a0 continuing to battle against issues with the car. Saying \u201cIn FP2, we didn\u2019t have great feelings about the car; I\u2019d say it\u2019s still pretty much the same as what we had before. We brought some upgraded parts, and in the tests and laps I\u2019ve done so far, I haven\u2019t noticed much of a difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we\u2019re still a bit behind in terms of performance, and we need to work tonight to improve. It\u2019s Honda\u2019s home race too, and in a difficult time like the one we\u2019re going through, we have to be here, we have to support them, and hopefully finish the race for the first time this year\u2014completing all the laps is the goal.”<\/p>\n
Ollie Bearman avoided serious injury following his huge crash while fighting for seventeenth on lap twenty-one. The Englishman was trying to avoid a collision when he was carrying overspeed trying to overtake Franco Colapinto.<\/p>\n
As he tried to take evasive action but got onto the grass, he spun at 191mph, then spun back across the track into the barrier, having lost almost no speed. Bearman climbed, limping and holding his knees, before being taken to the medical centre, where he had an X-ray before being diagnosed with a right knee contusion and being released.<\/p>\n
Haas confirmed during the race that Bearman had been cleared at the track’s medical centre, where x-rays confirmed he had not suffered any fractures.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the media after being released from the medical centre, \u201cEverything’s good, first of all. I’m absolutely fine. It was a scary moment that happened out there but everything’s ok, which is the main thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe car is a bit worse for wear, but we have a month now to reset and come back. I can only apologise from the bottom of my heart to the team for that because it’s a lot of work for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
The nature of the incident, which was caused by there being a significant difference in speed between the two cars as a result of their contrasting states of energy deployment, prompted the FIA to announce after the race that it would hold meetings to assess the sport’s new regulations for 2026 in light of the crash.<\/p>\n
Bearman explained: “It was a massive overspeed, 50kph, which is a real\u2026 it’s a part of these new regulations that I guess we have to get used to, but also I felt like I wasn’t really given much space given the huge excess speed that I was carrying.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is going to be one of the stories which could dominate the break as it one of the risks with these regulations, we know the drivers had previously warned about this, I think there could be tweaks to the regulations.<\/p>\n
It’s understood that the Alpine was not actively harvesting energy at that point, hence the warning lights on its rear wing were not illuminated in the seconds immediately before the incident. Nevertheless Bearman’s closing speed was 45km\/h.<\/p>\n
The scheduled meeting, due to have taken place in Bahrain, of the F1 Commission will be looking at these kinds of issues. In their statement the FIA made it clear that there are \u2018adjustable parameters\u2019 which they could use to better manage the issue. But I think there will be adjustments to the regulations once an investigation has been carried out.<\/p>\n
Team principal Ayao Komatsu has rebuffed suggestions that being a Ferrari customer should give Haas an advantage in the midfield battle, claiming Audi is \u201cvery good\u201d. The American team are currently fourth in the constructors after three races following strong points hauls in the first two weekends.<\/p>\n
Haas currently leads it midfield rivals, but new entrant Audi has made an impact following its debut in Melbourne, as Gabriel Bortoleto claimed points and Q3. That is why Komatsu was surprised when it was suggested that his team holds a clear engine advantage against Audi and co, saying: \u201cI don’t know how you can say… ‘ours clearly better than Audi’. I don’t know what you’re looking at to say that. Have you looked at GPS trace? No, I don’t think you can say that at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I say power unit, I’m purely looking at result and speed trace. Whether some of it is coming from ICE or some coming from energy deployment, but if we look at what they can do on the straight, Audi is very, very good. Very good.\u201d That\u2019s why Komastu is shocked by the claim that Hass are \u2018clearly better than Audi.\u2019<\/p>\n
He believes that the midfield fight is going to be interesting as you have four different power unit suppliers, with different deployment capabilities and strategy.<\/p>\n
Komatsu\u2019s comments were then put to Bortoleto\u2019s team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, who has endured a mixed start to the year having failed to start in Melbourne due to a mechanical problem. The German said, \u201cI think we’re okay. Without the PU we wouldn’t be where we are, but still, especially I think in a lot of the race condition situations, we have a lot of work and cleaning up to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re obviously also the only two cars. We don’t have a customer team, so less data than most of the other manufacturers that have multiple teams. So no, I still feel there’s still work in progress and still a lot of room for improvement there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel Bortoleto says that the departure of team principal Jonathan Wheatley did not come as a complete surprise, with the former Team Principal unable to “commit to the project fully” due to personal reasons.<\/p>\n
Days after the Chinese Grand Prix, Audi announced that Wheatley would be leaving his role with immediate effect having been at the team for less than a year. In a statement, Audi stated that Wheatley had left “due to personal reasons”, having joined from Red Bull where he spent more than two decades.<\/p>\n
Asked about Wheatley’s departure after just two races since Audi entered the sport, the Brazilian said, \u201cI think he couldn’t commit to the project fully because he had personal things that he made public, and when you have personal things you need to put in place, that’s the priority.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn’t say it’s a surprise. Obviously, it’s a short period of time, it’s only two races, he has been with us last year as well so it’s not only that he has done two races.\u201d Bortoletto believes that Wheatley did a very good job and everything was going smooth with the team improving in a lot of areas.<\/p>\n
Team principal and head of F1 Mattia Binotto says the departure of Jonathan Wheatley was “very unexpected” and, while he will cover the duties in the interim, a replacement will be necessary.<\/p>\n
Last week, Audi announced Wheatley was leaving with immediate effect because of personal reasons less than a year of the Briton taking the job having spent two decades at rivals Red Bull. The German manufacturer now face a restructure after just two Grands Prix after taking over the Sauber and built a new facility to produce a debut F1 engine.<\/p>\n
Binotto told F1.com \u201cIt has been very fast, very unexpected for the entire team. It has been really a sudden departure, a sudden change. I don’t think there is much we can say. He has spoken to our CEO, the board of the team, mentioning that he couldn’t commit to the long term for private reasons that we cannot judge or comment on.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe decided as Audi, given that he couldn’t commit, to release him from duties. I don’t think that as a team we have realised it yet. It was just [last week] and now we are here in Japan and we have a race weekend ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
Binotto and Wheatly have shared the job, Binotto in charge of the overall project including the chassis and power unit factories while Wheatley ran the race team at track. The Italian confirmed the team would continue with that structure once a replacement has been appointed.<\/p>\n
Pole Position<\/strong><\/td>\n| Andrea ‘Kimi’ Antonelli<\/p>\n | Mercedes<\/p>\n 01:28.778<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Podium<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Po<\/strong><\/td>\n | Name<\/strong><\/td>\n | Nat<\/strong><\/td>\n | Team<\/strong><\/td>\n | Time<\/strong><\/td>\n | \n | Poin<\/strong>ts<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n1<\/td>\n | Andrea ‘Kimi’ Antonelli<\/td>\n | ITA<\/td>\n | Mercedes<\/td>\n | 01:29:03.403<\/td>\n | 25<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | 2<\/td>\n | Oscar Piastri<\/td>\n | AUS<\/td>\n | McLaren \u2013 Mercedes<\/td>\n | +00:13.722<\/td>\n | 18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | 3<\/td>\n | Charles Leclerc<\/td>\n | MON<\/td>\n | Ferrari<\/td>\n | +00:15.270<\/td>\n | 15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Fastest<\/p>\n | Lap<\/td>\n Andrea ‘Kimi’ Antonelli<\/td>\n | ITA<\/td>\n | Mercedes<\/td>\n | 01:30.432<\/td>\n | <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n | Championship Standings<\/h4>\n
|