The 2026 Formula 1 championship heads to Japan this weekend for the third round of the season at the legendary Suzuka Circuit.
Unlike China’s Sprint weekend last time out, we return to the usual Grand Prix format.
Heading into this weekend, we once again have a British driver leading the way in the Drivers’ Championship, with George Russell at the top and an unlikely contender sitting fifth in the standings.
George Russell: Looking to return to winning ways
Although George Russell still leads the Drivers’ Championship, his Chinese Grand Prix weekend wasn’t without fault.
After battling former teammate Lewis Hamilton in the opening laps of the Sprint, Russell went on to dominate the shorter race on Saturday and pick up the maximum eight points.
Qualifying was almost a disaster for the leading Brit, as his car came to a halt at the start of Q3. Thankfully, he was able to get going again and, despite being on the back foot, still qualified second behind Kimi Antonelli.
In the race, he was caught up fighting among the Ferraris, which allowed his teammate to go on and win his maiden Formula 1 race. Nevertheless, Russell still finished second and heads into this weekend with a four-point advantage over his teammate.
It’s also important to note that the FIA have made a late change to energy management regulations this weekend. This will see less ‘super-clipping’, with energy recharge reduced from 9.0 MJ to 8.0 MJ.
Although this has reportedly been agreed upon by all power unit manufacturers, it remains to be seen whether it will hinder the Silver Arrows.
Lewis Hamilton: Continuing to build on first Ferrari podium
After a long wait, Hamilton secured his first podium in red at the Chinese Grand Prix, following an entertaining battle with teammate Charles Leclerc.
It was a memorable moment for the seven-time world champion, who was joined by former race engineer Peter Bonington on the podium.
This weekend, Hamilton and Ferrari will be hoping to build on their strong second round and it feels like only a matter of time before a potential win is on the cards.
Oliver Bearman: A force to be reckoned with in the midfield
If Hamilton were still delivering the same performances as last year in the opening rounds of this season, there would certainly be questions about Bearman potentially taking that Ferrari seat next year.
There’s no doubt the Haas driver has continued to impress, and he has the results to back it up. He sits an impressive fifth in the standings heading into this weekend.
While his position is partly due to issues for teams like McLaren, who are expected to be ahead of Haas, there’s no denying the work both driver and team have put in. Their results are thoroughly deserved.
This weekend, the Brit will be hoping to continue his momentum and secure another strong top-ten finish, adding to his already impressive 17 points.
Lando Norris: The only way is up
If McLaren thought the opening race in Melbourne was bad, they couldn’t have imagined a worse weekend than China.
Not only did Norris fail to make it to the grid due to a battery issue, but his teammate Oscar Piastri was also unable to start and was wheeled off the grid.
Although Norris finished fourth in the Sprint and picked up five points, neither he nor the team will take much positivity from the second round.
This weekend, McLaren will be hoping for some much-needed luck and to finally get their 2026 season properly underway, ideally with both cars finishing the race.
Arvid Lindblad: Hoping for better luck
For his first race weekend at the Shanghai International Circuit, completing just six laps in the sole practice session was far from ideal for Lindblad.
To make matters worse, he then suffered an issue in the Sprint, costing him further valuable track time.
All things considered, a 12th-place finish wasn’t a bad result for the rookie. However, with teammate Liam Lawson finishing seventh, it does make you wonder what might have been with a bit more luck.
This weekend, Lindblad will be hoping the pace and good fortune he showed in Melbourne return.
The Schedule
Friday (GMT)
- Practice 1: 03:30 – 04:30
- Practice 2: 07:00 – 08:00
Saturday (GMT)
- Practice 3: 03:30 – 04:30
- Qualifying: 07:00 – 08:00
Sunday (BST)
- Race: 06:00
Feature image: Mercedes F1 Team
