Mercedes looked quick in Bahrain in testing and will hope to replicate that this weekend, while Ferrari are also still in the picture. Charles Leclerc delivered a very impressive performance in Qualifying to secure fourth on the grid in Japan and retained that spot in the race, and while he couldn’t stick with the top three he was also closer to the race winner than a year ago at the same venue.
Ferrari were also very competitive in Bahrain last year, so we’ll at the very least be able to compare the evolution of the competitive picture, and see where strengths and weaknesses have changed.
It will also be a really interesting weekend to see if cars that looked strong in testing here – such as the Williams and Alpine – replicate that showing, or if the likes of Racing Bulls and Haas are quicker than in February.
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Rookies at less of a disadvantage
The class of 2025 features some extremely talented rookies who have shown their potential already this season despite difficult circumstances, but they will also be looking forward to returning to a track they have experience of.
Melbourne, Shanghai and Suzuka are all circuits that have unique challenges but are rarely driven by drivers prior to reaching F1, although Albert Park has started hosting F2 and F3 in recent years. Bahrain, however, has been a venue for the junior categories for some time in both testing and racing, as well as being the site of F1 pre-season testing.
.webp?ssl=1 "James Hinchcliffe picks his top five drivers of the 2026 Formula 1 season so far")
