Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc both believe Red Bull will win this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, but Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are in agreement about Mercedes’ chances.
Max Verstappen has been unanimously declared the favourite to win this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix by his Formula One competitors.
The Dutchman did not finish his last race in Melbourne due to a brake fire that occurred after only a few laps of racing. In his absence, Carlos Sainz won the race, while teammate Charles Leclerc finished second, giving Ferrari a morale-boosting one-two.
However, Red Bull is normally quite strong at Suzuka, and Sainz knows that Verstappen’s back-to-back DNFs are unlikely. This weekend, the Spaniard hopes to be a little closer to the Red Bulls than last year.
He stated, “Last year, I believe we were 0.7-0.8 seconds behind Red Bull here.” So let’s see where we are this year and whether we can get closer.” And teammate Leclerc had a same perspective on the power balance in Suzuka.
The Monegasque added: “This track will expose the teams to more high-speed corners, and we will have a better understanding of where we stand in comparison to others.” For the time being, I believe Red Bull will maintain its lead this weekend.
This weekend, the Ferrari drivers aren’t the only ones trying to manage their expectations. Mercedes has had a poor start to the new season, scoring only 26 points from the first three races.
They clearly do not expect a miraculous improvement in Japan. “For us, we have not started the season where we wanted to be,” admitted seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton in the Suzuka paddock, claiming it is “unlikely” that he will establish any rhythm behind the wheel of the troubled W15 this weekend.
“We still have a long way to go. You have seen how things may change in certain teams. Anything can happen in this sport. We just need to study as much as we can and keep working hard. It is not how you fall, but how you get back up. So we’ll keep chasing and fighting, hoping to get back to the front.”
George Russell, who has 18 points this year to Hamilton’s eight, is on the same page. He stated, “There is a definite trend in which we understand our car’s strengths and shortcomings.
“Definitely doing better in low-speed turns, but struggling in high-speed bends, which are more prevalent at Jeddah, Melbourne, and Suzuka. You know, they are the season’s fastest circuits. There’s still a lot to learn.”
