F1 2026: Japanese GP - Suzuka (Mar 29)

[///M Power-Belgium]

LAP 42/53 : And do we get a Ferrari fight (again) ?

Yes ...

RUS benefits from that , and then that's what you get..

[Toad]

RUS finally got past HAM. Norris still not showing up versus Piastri.

[GuidoK]

Max must be pretty frustrated by now constantly being on the tail of GAS for laps on end, but not able to pass...
Shows how powerful that MERC engine is. For sure it's the one to have.
Only Williams doesn't seem to profit from it, but their state of tech is stoneage compared to the top teams. They didn't even have their car ready at the first wintertests. They need to get things sorted, but they've been trying that for years now.

[Toad]

Hulkenberg past HAD! Really impressed by Audi

[afadeev]

Congrats to Kimi - well done.
Piastri deserved 2nd, would have been 1st if not for safety car timing.
Leclerc battled to keep 3rd from RUS.

Then NOR, HAM, GAS, VER, LAW, OCO

[RichardInCA]

George’s head is not going to be a good place to be right now. Kimi moving in rent-free.

Good to see Oscar hold on - McLaren definitely in the fight.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Race :

1- ANT (Bambino wins again with a 14.3 sec. gap)!
2- PIA
3- CHARLIE
4- RUS
5- NOR
6- LEW
7- GAS
8- MAX
9- LAW
10- OCON

[Toad]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

George’s head is not going to be a good place to be right now. Kimi moving in rent-free.

Still a better place to be than in Max's head.

Congrats to Antonelli, incredible pace! And well done by Leclerc defending against Russell.

[///M Power-Belgium]

.

[M3WC]

LuLu gets free pit stop, then finishes behind all top 3 team drivers.

[M3WC]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

Max must be pretty frustrated by now constantly being on the tail of GAS for laps on end, but not able to pass...
Shows how powerful that MERC engine is. For sure it's the one to have.
Only Williams doesn't seem to profit from it, but their state of tech is stoneage compared to the top teams. They didn't even have their car ready at the first wintertests. They need to get things sorted, but they've been trying that for years now.

It is now the power 3, no longer power 4. RB has fallen off. Horner is likely enjoying their downfall.

Alpine is Williams circa 2014.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by Rono63

Max out in Q2. Out qualified by his teammate, Audi and a Racing Bull.

“Max Factor”

And yet he overtook them all....
He gained more places than anyone else in the top10....

HAD finished 12th (even though he qualified 8th), which shows more or less where this car stands in the field. The RB is crap.
Points are given on sunday this weekend, not saturday.

[G30M]

not sure what to say, all that abstinence from the Piastri burger finally paying off and only to be done by Kimi and the safety car!

[Davil]

Despite the strange new world of regs, that was a far more entertaining race than last year. Makes Suzuka finally interesting again, as it should be.

Kimi was so lucky but drove very well when go took the lead.

After the restart Oscar was clearly going for 2nd keeping something up his sleeve sensing a later battle that never eventuated.

Fernando finished the race. That’s as good as a win at the moment.

[Davil]

Originally Posted by G30M

not sure what to say, all that abstinence from the Piastri burger finally paying off and only to be done by Kimi and the safety car!

Should have had a bowl of pasta.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

And yet he overtook them all....
He gained more places than anyone else in the top10....

HAD finished 12th (even though he qualified 8th), which shows more or less where this car stands in the field. The RB is crap.
Points are given on sunday this weekend, not saturday.

Spot on (!)
MAX pulled a fantastic race with his RB22 wheelchair.

Antonelli got a lot wheel spin at the start but his Benz was again a lot faster than Rus Benz

Won't take long before Rus starts to think about a suspicious Benz situation (!)
Knowing Wolff...I wouldn't be surprised

[G30M]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Antonelli got a lot wheel spin at the start but his Benz was again a lot faster than Rus Benz

Won't take long before Rus starts to think about a suspicious Benz situation (!)
Knowing Wolff...I wouldn't be surprised

Russell has been suspicious all weekend long complaining his car rear end is moving a lot.

i wonder if that's why he didn't have grip coming out of the last corner to challenge CLC at the end. Charles car when he gets to the last corner it shoots off like a missile and the Merc cannot catch fast enough to pass.

[fs1977]

Norris interview post race when asked what he would change in the rules for Miami:

"Doesn't matter what I say or want, if they think the fans like it..."
Interviewer: "But the drivers should also like it"
Norris: "Clearly not!"

That's telling.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by G30M

Russell has been suspicious all weekend long complaining his car rear end is moving a lot.

i wonder if that's why he didn't have grip coming out of the last corner to challenge CLC at the end. Charles car when he gets to the last corner it shoots off like a missile and the Merc cannot catch fast enough to pass.

Ferrari : Runs with a smaller Turbo. That's why they are super-fast at the start and from coming out of the corners.
A smaller Turbo means a faster power response.

Benz : Runs with a big Turbo. That's why they are faster at the straights and slower than Ferrari at the start.
Benz has also the strongest PU and the best battery power management ...
Rumors are saying : The F1 Benz battery technology and software originate from Formula-E...

[///M Power-Belgium]

The cause of Bearman's 50G crash in the wall ?
Bearman's crash in my post # 218 => https://www.m3post.com/forums/showpo...&postcount=218

Bearman ran at high speed with a charged battery , but suddenly he got the much slower Franco Colapinto in front of him with an empty battery running 60 km/h slower than him (!)
The cause of Bearman's crash was an empty battery in front of him and the new 2026 FIA regulations !
Bearman was very lucky to walk out of the car ...

[wizardofOz]

Good that someone didn't get P3

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

Max must be pretty frustrated by now constantly being on the tail of GAS for laps on end, but not able to pass...
Shows how powerful that MERC engine is. For sure it's the one to have.
Only Williams doesn't seem to profit from it, but their state of tech is stoneage compared to the top teams. They didn't even have their car ready at the first wintertests. They need to get things sorted, but they've been trying that for years now.

I believe in never say never, thinking MAX is wide eyeing Red Bull not even needing to say 'sort it, the new El Leone is waiting'.