Great race in Suzuka for the Honda-powered teams with a 1-2 for Red Bull and a point in home soil for Tsunoda, Ricciardo was not that lucky
Italy has the Tifosi cheering for Ferrari at Monza. Most countries cheer for their local heroes on the grid. However, the Japanese fanbase is different, whoever uses a Japanese engine gets the love of the crowd at Suzuka. This and next year that partnership lies with Red Bull and Visa CashApp RB. On the following set of rules, this will change. Japan will most likely see a green-colored crowd when they partner with Aston Martin for 2026.
This was a great race for 3/4 Honda drivers. The Red Bull dominance returned with a 1-2 in both qualifying and race for Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez. Local hero Yuki Tsunoda scored a single point being the first Japanese driver to do that in Suzuka since 2013. Both Ferraris filled out the second row. Both McLarens, both Mercedes and Fernando Alonso complete together with Tsunoda the points positions.
Red Bull was strong in Suzuka but Ferrari might be able to catch them somewhere else
The conditions of the track in Suzuka looked perfect for Red Bull to be able to deliver such a result. However, nothing was that clear in Australia and some people think, that if Max Verstappen had not DNFd, Ferrari could have fought the Dutch driver on pure pace. Perhaps, some other tracks are a chance for Ferrari to be there fighting in both qualifying and the race.
Last year some tracks like Monza or Singapore did not look as good as they usually do for Red Bull and maybe this year are the places we should look forward for some fight at the top of the table.
Mclaren begins to settle as third team and Aston Martin looks superior to Mercedes
Lando Norris acknowledged the significant performance gap between McLaren and Ferrari after finishing fifth at the Japanese Grand Prix. He had started the race in a promising third-place position. However, the superior pace of the Ferrari cars proved to be enough for both of them to pass him. Charles Leclerc overtook Norris through strategic variation, while Carlos Sainz outpaced him on raw speed.
Oscar Piastri fought Fernando Alonso in the earliest part of the race with the Spaniard ending up with a better pace than him. Oscar Piastri later on fought George Russell during the last few laps and the British driver only achieved his overtake after a mistake by Piastri on the last chicane.
The pace was definitively not there for either Russell or Hamilton with the latter having slight damage and strategic problems. Fernando Alonso, when asked if he thought of leaving to Mercedes next year said he was not interested as they looked worse than Aston Martin.
Yuki Tsunoda is becoming a valuable asset for the driver market, Ricciardo looks at risk
When Pierre Gasly left Alphatauri (now RB) a long list of drivers got the seat next to Yuki Tsunoda. Must be remembered, how all of them were set to beat Yuki with little to no effort, yet, that did not happen. First, Formula E Champion and Monza 2022 points scorer Nyck de Vries was supposed to defeat him. Regardless, he did not do it. Later, Ricciardo and Lawson came in, with neither of them being as superior as they were hyped to be. Maybe, we are in the moment where Yuki Tsunoda is becoming a driver deserving of a chance at the top. On the contrary, Yuki is never considered to be an option for a Red Bull seat. Perhaps, his future is elsewhere.
Aston Martin is getting the Honda Powertrains for 2026, Audi and Mercedes still have not confirmed their lineups and many other teams are looking similar. Perhaps, the Japanese driver could be in a different place for next season or 2025.
Ricciardo is a whole other story. 2024 started looking like a transition year to Red Bull in 2025 and that is becoming less of a chance in every race. Liam Lawson is looking at that seat and could replace the Australian sooner than the end of the season. His race ended on the first lap after a collision with Alexander Albon.
First Sprint race of the season coming in China next week
F1 is bringing back the Sprint format for a fourth season in 2024, with a key tweak designed to enhance fan engagement. This new format is coming next week for the first time in 2024 in China. Several tracks will once again host Sprint weekends: Brazil for the fourth time, Austria for the third, and Austin and Qatar returning for their second year. China and Miami will join for the first time, expanding the Sprint for more weekends this year. Fans still have doubts about this format but F1 is still tweaking it to see if it’s possible to improve it.
In a significant change, Sprint Qualifying will shift from Saturdays to Fridays this year. A free practice session will kick off the weekend, allowing drivers to adjust to the track before the Sprint battle. The traditional 100km Sprint will then take place on Saturday, followed by qualifying for the Grand Prix later that day. The actual race itself will remain on Sundays.
Guillermo Lorenzo Manzano
