Mercedes
Russell confirmed that his tempo in follow was real, as he was one of many quickest vehicles within the opening stint. He was in a position to observe in Leclerc’s wake for lap after lap, exhibiting that Mercedes are in a position to handle their tyres nicely. However he couldn’t discover a well past the Ferrari, and completed the place he began. Antonelli ran a really lengthy first stint and wound up main the race for a handful of laps. He might need reduce the chicane a few occasions when pushing flat out, however it was nonetheless a really composed drive by the teen.
FACTS AND STATS: Mercedes rookie Antonelli becomes youngest ever race leader and fastest lap holder
George Russell, fifth
“Immediately’s race was a irritating one. With the highest six vehicles all ending the place they began, it was a Grand Prix dictated by yesterday’s qualifying efficiency. It was a comparatively straightforward one-stop technique and, on a circuit that could be very troublesome to overhaul at, there have been few alternatives to make ahead progress. We tried our greatest to make the undercut work on Leclerc on the finish of our first stint. Sadly, we didn’t fairly have the tempo to drag it off with the visitors that we needed to clear in these two laps. No matter technique we had tried although, I feel we’d have finally completed P5.
“Our frustration primarily comes from the truth that we didn’t optimise qualifying yesterday. With the tempo we confirmed over follow, we had a automotive that might have been competing for the entrance two rows of the grid. It’s the first qualifying session of the 12 months the place we haven’t maximised our full potential. That was a disgrace, however we are able to bounce again immediately in Bahrain. It’s a very totally different observe to Suzuka, a lot hotter and a extra abrasive circuit. It is going to be fascinating to see the place everybody’s relative efficiency is and goes to be one other check for everybody.”
Kimi Antonelli, sixth
“Immediately was race from my aspect. I’m proud of the way it went and the velocity we have been in a position to present. As soon as I acquired in free air, the tempo actually improved, and I used to be in a position to lengthen my stint on the Medium tyre. That was feeling. As soon as we switched to the Laborious tyre, the automotive nonetheless felt optimistic. I used to be in a position to put in some constant lap occasions. I used to be catching the vehicles forward however ran out of time in the long run to get on the again of them. It was additionally a pleasant feeling to steer the race for a number of laps and develop into the youngest driver in F1 historical past to have finished so. The following aim is to try this on the one lap that issues: the ultimate one!
“It has been weekend total. It’s an amazing observe and one which I felt that I used to be getting on high of by the top of the weekend. Each time I get within the automotive, I’m constructing my studying and feeling extra comfy with the W16. I’m wanting ahead to heading to Bahrain. Hopefully we are able to hold enhancing and start to struggle for a few of the positions additional ahead than we managed right this moment.”
Bradley Lord, Workforce Consultant
“We come away from Japan with strong factors however finally feeling that there was the potential for extra this weekend. Suzuka is a troublesome observe to overhaul at and right this moment’s race was instance of that. George regarded to have the tempo on the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc within the opening phases however didn’t fairly have sufficient velocity to make a go. Being within the soiled air doubtless harm his tyres and he due to this fact couldn’t deploy the mandatory tempo to make the undercut work earlier than his cease. The optimistic is that, had we began additional ahead and the place we believed our qualifying tempo was, we doubtless may have competed for the rostrum.
“Kimi in the meantime ticked off a number of extra milestones right this moment. He has constructed his confidence over the weekend at a demanding observe and achieved a strong end result. He additionally led his first laps in F1 and took his maiden quickest lap, turning into the youngest driver in historical past to realize these feats. His growth is encouraging to see and it’s a 3rd consecutive robust race efficiency from him.
“We now head to Bahrain and can be aiming to be amongst the struggle for the rostrum there. It’s a very abrasive circuit and can be one other good check of the progress we now have made with the W16.”
Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director
“Immediately’s race was a case of what might need been for us as a staff. We had proven promising tempo all weekend, however Suzuka is a observe that’s closely biased in the direction of qualifying, moderately than race tempo. Failing to optimise our session yesterday due to this fact meant we knew we’d be preventing an uphill battle to make important progress right this moment from P5 and P6. We had one eye on the climate this morning however finally it proved a dry Grand Prix, which restricted alternatives.
“The second limiting issue was the sturdiness of the tyres, which made it a snug one-stop technique for many. With George, having sat within the Ferrari’s soiled air for portion of his first stint, we tried the undercut. We have been shut to creating it work however simply fell quick. That left him working in a irritating fifth to the flag.
“Kimi in the meantime ran longer on his opening stint after which confirmed good tempo in clear air to increase. That helped him not solely cowl the undercut from Lewis (Hamilton) however create a tyre offset to these forward. He used that to shut onto the again of George by the top of the race and take quickest lap within the course of. It was one other mature efficiency from Kimi as he continues to construct his expertise.
“Bahrain is a really totally different kind of circuit to those who we now have raced at up to now this season. The abrasive tarmac makes it an actual problem for the tyres, and it is going to be yardstick of the progress we now have made with our automotive since final 12 months. Hopefully we are able to put in a strong efficiency and be again within the struggle for the rostrum as soon as once more.”
