The Suzuka circuit hosted an electrifying Japanese Grand Prix, with the question looming over whether McLaren could halt its 2025 dominance. Lando Norris clinched victory at the Australian opener, while Oscar Piastri triumphed in China, securing their lead in the championship. However, Max Verstappen’s remarkable performance thwarted McLaren’s ambitions.
In an intense qualifying session, Verstappen capitalized on errors by Norris and Piastri to clinch the pole position for Sunday’s race. Maintaining his focus and strategy on race day, Verstappen successfully held off the McLaren challenge both on the track and in the pit lane, clinching his fourth consecutive win at Suzuka.
Despite this, Mercedes’ George Russell, who finished in fifth place, insists McLaren hasn’t yet revealed their full potential. The British driver contends that the cooler temperatures in recent races may have hindered McLaren’s performance, predicting that warmer events in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia could showcase their true capabilities.
“I don’t think we’ve seen the best of McLaren yet. It’s been cold races. And, in Bahrain with 35 degrees and Saudi 37 degrees, we should see them excel,” Russell noted, suggesting that McLaren could excel in warmer conditions where they typically perform well.
The Suzuka showdown, while thrilling, highlighted a lack of overtaking maneuvers, with the top six maintaining their starting positions throughout the race. In a post-race interview, Russell expressed concern about this, urging Pirelli to bring softer tires to resurfaced tracks to enhance overtaking opportunities.
“The last two weekends, it’s been an easy one-stop strategy, and I think when the track gets resurfaced, Pirelli needs to bring softer tyres because that hard tyre could go forever,” Russell asserted. Despite pushing their vehicles to the limits, drivers couldn’t find the extra edge needed to overtake, as Russell experienced firsthand trying to catch up with Charles Leclerc.
“Really difficult. The last two races were one-stop races, and I think Pirelli needs to bring softer tyres to circuits that have been resurfaced because you can push flat out on the hard tyres,” Russell added. “We were pushing so fast, so hard, but you just couldn’t overtake. I don’t think I would have had the pace of the top three, but I was matching the pace of Charles, and I couldn’t get by.”
Overtaking and speed are critical elements that draw fans to Formula 1, yet consistent factors are limiting drivers’ ability to provide thrilling moments. Russell believes that revisiting tire strategies could address these concerns, allowing drivers to take full advantage of their cars’ capabilities.
As McLaren gears up for warmer circuits ahead, the rivalry with Verstappen and other contenders is set to intensify. With potential tweaks to tire strategies and temperatures set to rise, the upcoming races promise intrigue and fierce competition.
Stay updated on the latest developments by joining our newsletter for exclusive insights delivered straight to your inbox.
