SUZUKA: The Japanese Grand Prix is only the third race of the new Formula 1 season, but it will be last one for five weeks with events in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia called off because of the war in Iran.
The next F1 race is not until May 3 in Miami. Here's what we've learned so far from races in Australia and China with the Japanese GP set for Sunday:
Mercedes and Ferrari have adapted best to Formula's 1 most radical change in power and chassis in more than a decade.
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have won each of the first two races, and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have flip-flopped finishing third and fourth. Mercedes and Ferrari are the favorites on Suzuka's figure-eight circuit, located in central Japan and among F1's most storied venues.
Suzuka is a vastly different circuit from Australia — a street course in Melbourne — and Shanghai, which resembles many of the newer Formula 1 venues. Suzuka is old-school — narrow, twisting with only one major straightaway for passing.
Hamilton has won the Japanese GP five times, four times at Suzuka as he surges back near the top of the standings after two races.
McLaren's woes
McLaren has struggled after winning last season's drivers' championship with Lando Norris, and adding the constructors' title for good measure. But McLaren failed to even start the race two weeks ago in China with engine and electrical faults.
Asked on Thursday if the problem had been resolved, Norris replied: "I think it took a little bit of time to figure things out, but yes. Of course it hurt us as a team, certainly didn't make us look good to have two cars not starting a race."
Norris talked up the team which includes Oscar Piastri, It had the best car on the grid in the last two seasons, having won the constructors' title each time.
"Now is just as good a time as ever to prove exactly what we can do as a team — against Ferrari, against Mercedes, who are performing very well at the minute," Norris said.
Red Bull struggles, too
Then there's Red Bull and four-time champion Max Verstappen, who had to retire in China. Verstappen has probably been the most vocal in criticizing this season's radical makeover of F1 racing, calling it "yo-yo racing" as top drivers surge to the front and just as quickly fall off the lead.
He's already looking ahead to the five-week break.
"We just need to keep working, keep trying to put more performance on the car," he said. "Maybe the little break we have now is a good time to look back and analyze even more things. Basically, try to be better in Miami."
Verstappen kicked a journalist out of an interview session on Thursday, unhappy with what was written about him last season when the failed to win his fifth consecutive drivers' title.
Honda sputtering
Honda had great success as the engine supplier for Red Bull. This season it's had a horrible start as the engine supplier for Aston Martin with Red Bull moving to Ford power.
The Japanese manufacturer's power unit has caused severe vibrations and neither Fernando Alonso nor Lance Stroll have completed the two opening races.
Honda operates the Suzuka circuit. It's not the kind of publicity the company wants in its home race, and just getting both cars to finish the race would be a victory.
Russell quickest in 1st practice
Russell and Antonelli were quickest on Friday in the first practice for Sunday's race. Russell's session-leading time was 1 minute 31.666 seconds.
Another session was set for later Friday and the third on Saturday prior to qualifying.
The McLaren pair of Norris and Piastri were the next quickest followed by Leclerc and Hamilton. The top six practice times were separated by only 0.374 seconds.
Alonso missed the early session. Reports in Spain said he was late arriving in Japan because his partner Melissa Jimenez gave birth to the couple's first child. The team said only he was arriving late for personal reasons.