14 F1 storylines for the Japanese Grand Prix

This weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix may offer something F1 fans haven’t seen yet this season.

No, no team other than Red Bull won the race. Two weeks ago, fans were treated to a cheer when Carlos Sainz Jr. overtook Max Verstappen in the early stages of the Australian Grand Prix. Verstappen’s RB20, which subsequently suffered a brake duct failure, opened the door to Sainz’s stunning victory just weeks after appendix surgery, moving Ferrari closer to Red Bull in the constructors’ standings.

In fact, what fans may see for the first time this season is racing in the wet.

Early forecasts for the Japanese Grand Prix indicate a chance of rain, and it could be quite rainy. According to the latest reports, Weather.comThe chance of rain on Sunday, the day the Japanese Grand Prix is ​​held, is 43%.

Interestingly, this season’s Japanese Grand Prix has been moved to April instead of the usual September-October calendar. The main reason for this was to further F1’s sustainability goals by tying the Japanese Grand Prix with races in Australia and China on the calendar, but the move also moved the race from Japan’s traditional typhoon season. It was also decided to move away from it. The Japanese Grand Prix, including the 2022 race where the Grand Prix was held, is often affected by heavy rain. Shortened due to heavy rain.

However, if recent weather forecasts hold true, teams and drivers could be dealing with wet weather again this weekend.

The biggest problem facing each team on the grid

Last week, we looked at the entire grid and considered the biggest questions facing each team. For those who haven’t checked out this series yet or want a refresher, this is the perfect opportunity to take a look.

• Alpine: How fast will we progress?

• Sauber: Can the problem be resolved in the pits?

• WILLIAMS: Do you ever have a hangover from what happened in Australia?

• Haas: Have they really solved the biggest problem from 2023?

• Visa Cash App RB F1 Team: Is Daniel Ricciardo really in trouble?

• Aston Martin: Can they get their development right this season?

• Mercedes: Can the Silver Arrows turn things around?

• McLaren: Will they be able to keep the heat?

• Ferrari: Can they really challenge Red Bull?

• Red Bull: Are they really vulnerable?

Will Adrian Newey really make a move?

Is Adrian Newey and his legendary secret notebook really about to leave Milton Keynes?

Teams have tried to poach arguably the greatest engineer in F1 history in the past, but will this time be different? Recent reports suggest that Stroll has made Newey a big offer that would pay him on par with some of the drivers on the grid.

The timing is certainly noteworthy, as this report comes during a season for Red Bull that has been rocked by off-track drama. From whispers of a power struggle at the top to an ongoing investigation into team principal Christian Horner and potential repercussions, it may be time for Newey to make a change.

Perhaps Newey will take action. Maybe not. However, the driver transfer market may not be the only noteworthy development this season.

Driver transfer market heats up

Speaking of the driver transfer market…

Carlos Sainz Jr.’s impressive start to the season, with podiums and wins in between appendectomy, has many wondering where the Ferrari driver will be next season . Sainz is a free agent and should have no shortage of suitors, with Lewis Hamilton set to take his place next year.

Will his former team Red Bull be among them?

Senior Advisor Dr. Helmut Marko has his say on this and as usual these days. “Of course his form is attractive,” Marko said. Laora 1.

Marko then turned to Sergio Perez, who was currently sitting in the seat next to Max Verstappen.

“But the Czech Republic must realize that: [Pérez] We had three good races this year. His major setback in Melbourne was due to the damage to his suspension and [tire] deterioration.

“His only weakness is qualifying. If he can improve there, there is no need to think about it. As far as he is concerned, the atmosphere in the team is very good.”

If not Red Bull, where is Sainz? Mercedes might be an option. That could mean we could get a driver flip with Hamilton taking Sainz’s spot to Ferrari, with Sainz taking his old spot at the Silver Arrows. There have also been long rumors of a transfer to Sauber, ahead of Sauber becoming an Audi works team in 2026. Sainz’s father is a rally driver for Audi, so there is a connection.

Given his strong start to the season, Sainz could be the team’s top choice to secure his seat for next season. And for drivers, it may make sense to strike while the iron is hot and secure a seat through 2025.

It’s certainly a story to keep an eye on this week.

Yuki Tsunoda at home

Who is the other driver rumored to be linked with a possible move to Red Bull?

VCARB driver Yuki Tsunoda.

Despite a frustrating start to the season in Bahrain, punctuated by dissatisfaction with the team’s instructions, Tsunoda has settled in over the past two weeks and made a good impression. He delivered a strong result for the team in Australia, earning the team six important points with a 7th place finish and propelling VCARB to 6th place in the standings.

What’s more, Tsunoda has outscored teammate Daniel Ricciardo (who has also been rumored to be heading to Red Bull) in each of the three races this season, taking the only points.

Tsunoda will be racing at home, and although he advanced to Q3 at last year’s Japanese Grand Prix a year ago, he was unable to score any points, but he showed more potential in this year’s Challenger and finished his two Q3 appearances. There is.

In addition, VCARB will have an F2 driver participate in FP1 in place of Ricardo, so he will run in FP1 with his countryman Ayumu Iwasa. This will be the F1 debut for Iwasa, another talented member of the Red Bull driver program.

Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto, Getty Images

Ayao Komatsu’s home debut

Tsunoda isn’t the only driver on the F1 grid competing at home this weekend.

For new Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu, this will be her first race in the big chair with the team.

“Yeah, this is pretty special,” Komatsu said in a video released by the team ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. “I left Japan 30 years ago, but I never thought that 30 years later I would be returning to the Japanese Grand Prix as a team representative.

“I think it’s a very special moment.”

While Komatsu is hopeful that the team has resolved its biggest problem from a year ago, tire deterioration, it is concerned about the high-speed corners that Suzuka will offer.

“We had three races this year at completely different circuits and I’m really happy that we were able to score two out of the three events, one point in Jeddah and three points in Melbourne. “Particularly in Melbourne, the race pace was the best in qualifying. We showed that we’re better than pace, so that’s obviously a strength,” Komatsu said at the team’s media preview. “At the same time, qualifying in Melbourne revealed the weaknesses of the VF-24. Unfortunately, Suzuka has a sector 1 with high-speed corners, so we ended up with a bit of a similar result at Suzuka in terms of circuit requirements. It will be.”

“When we looked at the high-speed corners around Sector 1 in Bahrain, Jeddah and Melbourne, we realized that our car had not reached the high-speed areas yet. So Sector 1 at Suzuka will be a big challenge. “We,” Komatsu added. “Suzuka is not an easy circuit to overtake, so it will be important how we manage the lack of high speed, grip and balance needed to perform in Suzuka qualifying.

“It’s going to be a challenge for us, but we have some ideas so we’ll do some experiments on Friday to improve that aspect. In terms of race pace, it’s similar to Melbourne. , I think we’ll be stronger than our qualifying pace, so thinking about our race strategy, we need to have a better race strategy at Suzuka and see how we can take advantage of that.”