Created by Lucas Luís at Wednesday, 2 April 2025

All set for Suzuka: The Japanese Grand Prix is full of surprises

The Japanese Grand Prix is back and the mythical Suzuka Circuit will once again host Formula 1's elite for a weekend that promises plenty of excitement. With changes to the teams and rain forecasts shuffling the balance, the Japanese Grand Prix, a veritable ‘paradise’ of culture for the team designers, could well be one of the best of the 2025 season.

News before the start of the Japanese Grand Prix

The big news comes from Red Bull Racing, with Yuki Tsunoda being promoted to the main team to race alongside world champion Max Verstappen. The decision was made after just two races and takes Japanese enthusiasm to another level. Tsunoda, now in his fifth season in Formula 1, will finally have the chance to show his mettle with a winning car... and at home. The challenge won't be easy, as the RB21 has proved tricky even for Verstappen, but the support of the local public could make the difference.

On the other side of the coin is Liam Lawson, who returns to Racing Bulls after a difficult start to the season. The young New Zealander returns to an environment he knows well and where he's looking to regain his confidence quickly, even though he knows that Suzuka is a circuit where mistakes are costly.

Meanwhile, McLaren is enjoying quieter days, but with an increasingly interesting internal duel. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have each won a race, and although Norris is leading the championship, Piastri is clearly on the rise. Qualifying and race pace will be crucial on a track like Suzuka, where balance and fluidity are key. Who knows, maybe this will be the weekend when the two of them meet directly on track in a duel for the title?

Ferrari, on the other hand, is looking for stability. After a promising start, the team was rocked by a double disqualification at the Chinese Grand Prix, an unprecedented moment in the Scuderia's history. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have shown speed at times, but have failed to translate that performance into results. Ferrari urgently needs points to avoid widening the gap to its direct rivals.

And if Ferrari is struggling, Carlos Sainz is also facing a difficult time at Williams. After a good start in pre-season testing, the Spaniard has lost pace in recent races and still doesn't fully understand the problems he's facing behind the wheel of the new car. Will this be a particularly difficult season for the Spanish driver? Everything suggests so...

Tyres and weather conditions

For this weekend, Pirelli has opted for the hardest compounds in its range - C1, C2 and C3 - due to the demands of the Japanese track. One of the novelties is the requalification of part of the asphalt, between the exit of the last chicane and the end of the first sector, which should offer more grip and contribute to lower lap times. This change, coupled with the new characteristics of the 2025 tyres, could have a direct impact on strategies, with a single pit stop likely to be more difficult to execute.

The weather also promises to be a talking point. Friday and Saturday should be dry and sunny, perfect for practice and qualifying. However, forecasts point to the possibility of rain on Sunday, which could confuse the accounts even more and leave room for surprises, especially at a circuit like Suzuka, where any mistake could be costly.

Designers love the Japanese Grand Prix

Some teams took advantage of the Japanese Grand Prix to debut new liveries on their single-seaters, inspired by Japanese culture. Red Bull changed the car to white and added details of Japanese culture, while McLaren darkened the look and reinforced the graphic identity. Ferrari applied a pearlescent red colour that stands out in the sun, but it was Haas who surprised the most.