Japanese GP preview – Mercedes and Ferrari go head-to-head at Suzuka

Approaching only the third race in the 2026 FIA Formula One season, two teams have already emerged as the ones to beat. Mercedes and Ferrari.

Although it’s the German based team of these two historic marques that has grabbed the top two places on the podium so far, Scuderia Ferrari has not been far behind.

In Melbourne, it was George Russell who led home teammate Kimi Antonelli with Charles Leclerc third and Lewis Hamilton fourth.

In Shanghai, the reverse happened, rising star Kimi Antonelli winning the race from Russell, and Hamilton third from Leclerc.

Unleashing the Beast this weekend in Suzuka 😤 pic.twitter.com/AmzshGuEah

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) March 24, 2026

So what will happen in round 3 at the most iconic Suzuka circuit, where reliability and top end speed has always been a deciding factor?

In this most intriguing of seasons with the most radical tech regulations in play, energy harvesting and knowing exactly when to push and when to coast will bring a very different dynamic.

“We have made a positive start to the season, but it is only that,” commented a guarded Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff on his team’s official press release.

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“In both Australia and China, we had several close calls that could have ended our weekend.

“These cars are new and fragile; we were fortunate that none of the issues we faced severely compromised our results.

“We have work to do to make sure that continues to be the case.

“The grid is also learning so much every time we take to the track.

“Each weekend brings a new set of challenges, and we are focused on completing our work, and looking to improve.

“We know that the moment you think you’ve got this sport figured out, you are usually proven wrong.”

READ CRAIG SCARBOROUGH’S INSIGHT INTO THE MERCEDES W17 AND FERRARI SF-26

For Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, the Japanese Grand Prix weekend represents another chance to make ground up on rivals Mercedes.

“We made another step forward in China, confirming some of the positives we saw in Melbourne, especially in race conditions,” commented Vasseur on his team’s official release.

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“However, it is also clear that there are areas where we need to improve. The level of competition is very high, and small differences can have a big impact on the result.

“Suzuka is a very demanding circuit, so it’s a great opportunity to better understand the SF-26 and make progress.

“We need to stay focused on ourselves, continue to work on the full package and make sure we put everything together over the weekend.”

So far in 2026, the sweeping regulations have divided opinions from fans.

Some praise the more tactical form of racing, the new skillset of knowing when to push and when to harvest battery.

Others call it ‘manufactured’ racing that takes away from the core DNA of Formula One, where the drivers want to drive flat out and the only worry is tyre conservation.