Motor Racing
Japanese Grand Prix Preview
Having had two weeks to recover from the chaos that ensued in the Australian Grand Prix, which saw Carlos Sainz top the podium, the grid returns to the world famous Suzuka Circuit in Japan to battle it out for the fourth time this season.
We preview the race below.
Suzuka Circuit overview
The Japanese Grand Prix has moved position in the racing calendar from October to April to make the calendar more logical in terms of geographical location.
The Suzuka circuit in Japan is a classic. It’s a high-speed circuit with some fast-flowing sections, allowing for the high-octane action which takes place here every year. Due to the nature of the track and the fast corners which punish the tyres, tyre wear will be a key component to the teams’ strategy ahead of this race. Last year around Suzuka there were 43 pit stops and it’s likely to be a similar story again this time, with the teams utilising the hard and medium tyres to give themselves the best chance of seeing out the race.
Similar to Melbourne, as it is an old-school track, mistakes can be costly – which George Russell found out the hard way last time out. The track features plenty of grass and gravel run-offs which will facilitate more action on the track as these sections can make it even tougher to recover should any of the drivers sway from within the lines.
This track benefits those who opt for high-speed downforce setups as there don’t seem to be many corners that require intense braking, due to the ability of the modern cars to go almost flat out for the entirety of the circuit. There is a notable disparity between some of the teams with regards to their straight-line speed and this will be further amplified around Suzuka, with a few of the teams really excelling in that capacity such as Ferrari and McLaren.
Qualifying is of utmost importance here as overtaking in the race itself is not easy with just one DRS zone, which saw only 29 overtakes in last year’s Grand Prix. Teams will need to give it their all in qualifying to start nicely up the grid, as defending on this track is easier than vying for overtakes.
Main teams to look out for
Aston Martin
In Australia, Aston Martin briefly managed to secure fourth position in the Constructors’ Championship, before Fernando Alonso fell victim to a penalty which saw them relegated back to fifth. The main concern Aston Martin will have ahead of Japan will be to put an end to any tyre-wear related issues which they suffered with in the season’s opener in Bahrain.
Should they sort out these issues, we could see Fernando Alonso run another good race like he did in Australia which would have seen him finish well in the points had it not been for the penalty. Alonso, who is no stranger to this circuit and has won here twice before, is 1/2 to finish in the points, with a larger price of 16/1 to end up on the podium.
McLaren
Australia seemed like a pretty pivotal race for the two McLaren cars, who really showed that their cars are somewhat superior to both Mercedes and Aston Martin, with their sights now set on rivalling the two big dogs of Ferrari and Red Bull.
McLaren will be strong here, and Lando Norris seems the favourable option of the two drivers to finish on the podium at 11/4, with teammate Oscar Piastri next in the betting at 9/2. Both drivers finished in P3 and P4 respectively in Australia behind the Ferraris, granted without the presence of Max Verstappen, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, but a strong showing nonetheless which they will be looking to replicate in Japan.
Mercedes
The Australian Grand Prix was certainly one to forget for Toto Wolff and his drivers, with Lewis Hamilton suffering a power unit failure mid race which forced him to retire, and teammate George Russell suffering a crash in the last lap of the race at the high-speed Turn 6/7 complex.
Lewis Hamilton still appears to be uncomfortable in the Mercedes car this season which justifies his odds of 40/1 to win in Suzuka, despite being a race he has won five times in his career. A podium finish also looks unlikely for Hamilton at 7/1. George Russell shares identical odds to Hamilton for both a podium finish and to win the race, despite sitting ten points clear of his veteran teammate in the Driver’s Championship.
Ferrari
Ferrari enter this weekend’s Grand Prix just four points shy of Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship having taken the top two spots in Australia’s race, with Carlos Sainz making a huge comeback to top the podium. The jury is out in whether either one of the cars, if not both, would have still finished 1-2 had Max Verstappen remained in the race, but Suzuka will be a good opportunity to show the rest of the grid that they’re keen contenders with Red Bull for the rest of the season.
Carlos Sainz is 8/11 for a podium finish and 14/1 to win consecutive Grand Prix, which looks a large price for a man heading to Japan with buckets of confidence. Teammate Charles Leclerc is 10/11 to finish in the top three, but is second in the running for fastest lap behind Verstappen at 11/2.
Red Bull
Max Verstappen was forced to retire early on in Australia and will be back with a vengeance this weekend to get back to winning ways, and unsurprisingly leads all of the markets ahead of Japan’s Grand Prix. The Red Bull car thrives around these high-speed circuits and both drivers will be taking full advantage of their speed in the straights in pursuit of a 1-2 finish here.
There doesn’t seem to be any smart bets when it comes to Max Verstappen who is just 2/9 to top the podium, and 4/7 to set the fastest lap time. Sergio Perez is out at 12/1 to win the Grand Prix at second in the betting, with more value to finish on the podium at 4/7.
Value Spotting
#YourOdds are offering some pretty tasty bets should you be looking for value in places other than the traditional markets, with the pick of the bunch being Max Verstappen as the Race Winner, Lando Norris to finish on the podium & Carlos Sainz to finish in the top six at 17/4.
Should you be feeling a bit more punchy, Oscar Piastri to finish on the podium, Charles Leclerc to finish in the top six, and Esteban Ocon to finish in the points is at 25/1.
