Formula 1 has entered an unexpected pause following geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which led to the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix originally scheduled for April. This disruption has raised several questions about the immediate future of the championship, both in terms of logistics and competitive momentum.
On track, however, the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka delivered further confirmation of Mercedes’ current dominance. The team led by Toto Wolff once again showed strong pace, although this time only Kimi Antonelli reached the podium, securing his second consecutive victory. Ferrari remained competitive, albeit slightly less impressive than in the previous two races, while McLaren managed to bounce back after its shocking pre-race retirement in Shanghai, helping restore a degree of balance at the front of the field.
The main concerns within the Formula 1 paddock continue to revolve around the current generation of power units, particularly energy management. This issue returned to the spotlight in Japan, where super clipping significantly slowed cars on the run toward the iconic 130R corner. Additionally, a frightening incident involving Oliver Bearman highlighted the dangers, as he was forced off track while avoiding Franco Colapinto, who was traveling at a much lower speed. Charles Leclerc addressed both topics with notable clarity, offering valuable insight into the situation.
Team hierarchy and the Miami reset
The Suzuka race saw McLaren re-emerge as a strong contender, demonstrating competitive race pace comparable to Ferrari. Mercedes, on the other hand, struggled in traffic and only displayed its full potential when Kimi Antonelli took the lead in clean air. “At the moment Mercedes is ahead and McLaren has taken a step forward,” the Monegasque explained. “This will be a championship that is won or lost through development.”
Following the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds, Formula 1 will return to action in over a month’s time at the Miami Grand Prix. Teams are expected to introduce significant upgrades, as Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has repeatedly emphasized. Leclerc is confident that Ferrari will be ready for this crucial phase of the season, stressing that progress depends on more than just engine performance:
“Everyone back at the factory is pushing like crazy, and in Miami we will have, like everyone else, quite a new car. It will be crucial to start on the right foot from Miami onwards. The power unit is certainly where we struggle the most compared to Mercedes, there is no doubt, but that’s not the only factor.”
“In five weeks, the cars will be completely different compared to what we saw here, and that will be the reality for the rest of the first part of the season. It’s very important to get things right because I think everyone will arrive in Miami with a new package. It will be the first major upgrade of the season, and we need to be on the right side of it.”
Leclerc further added: “Mercedes probably has a big engine advantage over us at the moment, but we must not forget that there are huge gains to be made in chassis development, aerodynamics, and getting the tyres into the right operating window. All of that makes a difference. Of course, the engine is important, but it’s something we cannot change right now, even though we are working on it. We need to improve absolutely everything on the car.”
Risks and benefits of the current generation of cars
Suzuka also featured noticeably more overtaking compared to previous years, when races at the Japanese circuit were often considered processional. According to Charles Leclerc, this trend may gradually diminish as teams refine their strategies, but it should remain more evident than in recent seasons:
“As the season progresses, teams will get better at optimizing their overtaking strategies, and it will become more difficult, but I think we will still keep that excitement that defines the race.”
However, the improved spectacle on Sundays does not change Leclerc’s concerns about qualifying sessions, which have been heavily affected by energy management constraints: “This does not change my opinion about the current cars in qualifying…” he pointed out.
Driver opinions on the current cars remain mixed overall. Some, like Max Verstappen, have been highly critical, even going as far as hinting at a potential exit from Formula 1. Leclerc offered a more balanced assessment:
“I’ve spoken with some drivers and they all seem quite positive, but I know there are others who are not enthusiastic at all about these cars. Honestly, I think in races these cars are a bit easier to follow, and it’s also easier for the car behind to stay in the slipstream. That makes wheel-to-wheel battles more enjoyable. So for the race, I wouldn’t change much. For qualifying, the list is a bit longer, but everyone is aware of that. There will be a lot of work behind the scenes, and I hope we will find solutions that improve the situation.”
The incident involving Oliver Bearman, which triggered the Safety Car, originated from a highly dangerous situation. Franco Colapinto’s Alpine was traveling at a significantly lower speed due to different energy deployment. Leclerc himself later encountered a similar scenario, overtaking George Russell when the Mercedes driver suddenly lost electrical power from his power unit. The key difference between the two situations was the behavior of the leading driver: Russell held his racing line, whereas Colapinto moved aside, forcing Bearman onto the grass with two wheels.
“With these cars, we have to race in a different way, there’s no doubt about that,” Leclerc concluded. “One of the topics discussed was whether to change direction or not when you are in super clipping, because it creates quite dangerous scenarios. We need to adapt, especially the car that is defending rather than the one attacking, considering that the speed difference can be much bigger.”
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