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The 2025 F1 Japanese GP will be the third race of the season, and it will be on the legendary track in Suzuka. The season has begun on a positive note for McLaren. The car looks great in different conditions, and hence we see both drivers winning a race each.
Lando Norris won the race in Australia while Oscar Piastri won the race in China. The chasing pack is trying hard to keep up, and there were some positive signs in China as well. But what can we expect in the F1 Japanese GP? Let's take a look.
#5 Liam Lawson will have a positive weekend
Liam Lawson would be reeling a bit mentally as he gets ready for his first race after getting fired from Red Bull. The Kiwi is a good driver. He's just been caught in a very unfortunate situation with the team in Milton Keynes.
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With that being said, the driver is talented, he's fast, and he's shown an ability to nail everything when the car under him works. He's going to be a good fit in Racing Bulls and impress at the F1 Japanese GP.
#4 Haas might struggle as Williams and Racing Bulls surge
The last race in China saw Haas turn heads with the level of improvement. The car was quite clearly the 5th fastest in the race, and that is a massive jump from where it was in Australia.
Ayao Komatsu has been quite honest about the fact that there are some serious deficiencies in the car, and it would take some time to alleviate them. The deficiencies are around the fast speed sections, and there are a few around Suzuka this weekend.
While the Racing Bulls and Williams appear to be more rounded, the F1 Japanese GP might just be the weekend where they make the jump.
#3 Tire management is going to be the key
The first race in Australia showed the importance of a car having the ability to keep the tires in the window over a lap. This is something that's going to be put to the test on a track like Suzuka, where the tires get stressed throughout the lap.
The teams that are able to keep the tires in the right window (yes, that is McLaren) would do well in the F1 Japanese GP, and others might struggle a bit.
#2 Ferrari will be a close second fastest team while Red Bull struggles at the F1 Japanese GP
If we look at the points table, then where Ferrari is right now is a reflection of how poorly it has executed the first two races more than anything else. Almost every rival team has claimed that the Italian team has a much better car than what it has shown.
There is a reality to it, and we could see that with Charles Leclerc in China, where even the damaged front wing couldn't deter him from challenging George Russell for the podium. The pace is there for Ferrari, and the ability to ride the bumps is arguably better than everyone else's, which could come in handy in the first and final sectors.
We're backing Ferrari to be a close second to McLaren this weekend. Talking about Red Bull, however, is a different story because one of the struggles that the car appears to have is the ability to ride the bumps. There are areas where the car should do well around Suzuka, but those bumps are going to be problematic and hurt the overall lap time.
#1 Lando Norris wins the F1 Japanese GP
As we've mentioned a few times already, McLaren should be the benchmark around Suzuka, and the gap should be sufficiently big over everyone else. Hence, the battle comes down to the two drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Norris was quite impressive around Suzuka the last time he raced here compared to Piastri, and we're backing him to replicate that. There is a rain forecast for sure, and if there is an intervention, it would probably help Red Bull and Mercedes.
