Aston Martin brass deflected questions about potential management changes, redirecting focus to the urgent technical crisis with its 2024 car. The team's new Honda power unit is underpowered and causing severe, painful vibrations for drivers Alonso and Stroll, overshadowing the weekend at the engine supplier's home race in Japan.
Max Verstappen refused to begin a media session at Suzuka until a journalist he clashed with last year left the room, reigniting discussion about driver-media relations. He later criticized the current F1 regulations, calling the cars 'energy-starved' around the demanding Japanese circuit.
Gabriel Bortoleto says Audi F1 was prepared for Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley's sudden departure, which happened rapidly between races. He praised Wheatley's work as Mattia Binotto steps in, amid rumors linking Wheatley to Aston Martin.
Lewis Hamilton champions the 2026 F1 regulations, arguing they enable the close, high-speed following and constant battling that defines true racing. His stance directly counters critics like Max Verstappen, framing the changes as a necessary correction after years of cars being unable to race closely.
Max Verstappen halted his Japanese Grand Prix media briefing, refusing to speak until a journalist he had a past disagreement with left the room. The tension stemmed from a question in Abu Dhabi about a 2023 penalty, showcasing Verstappen's long memory and his assertive approach to controlling his media narrative.
Aston Martin and Honda head to the Japanese GP confident they have fixed the battery reliability issue that recently sidelined Lance Stroll. The team's primary goal is to get both cars to the finish, though a separate, persistent vibration problem that retired Fernando Alonso in China remains a work in progress and will be tested with new countermeasures at Suzuka.
At the Japanese GP, drivers revealed a split grid: Aston Martin battles crippling reliability, Ferrari targets Mercedes' advantage, and Alpine rides a confidence high. The 2026 car's new energy rules sparked debate, creating exciting but artificial "yo-yo" racing and turning qualifying into a frustrating battery management exercise, risking the pure speed challenge of tracks like Suzuka.
McLaren's disastrous Chinese GP, where both cars failed to start, was caused by separate Mercedes HPP battery failures. Lando Norris's battery was permanently damaged by a software issue, costing him one of his allocated energy stores for the season and adding strategic complexity to his title bid.
The 2026 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka starts at 14:00 local time (06:00 BST) on Sunday, March 29. Mercedes arrives with a perfect record after two wins, while Max Verstappen looks to defend his 2025 victory in a crucial early-season showdown.
For the Japanese GP, the FIA has cut the allowed energy recharge per qualifying lap to reduce 'lift and coast' maneuvers. Drivers welcome the change for making laps more natural but see it as a minor tweak, not a major fix, to the 2026 cars' complex energy management demands.
Mercedes has modified its front wing for the Japanese GP after rival teams raised questions about the legality of its flap closure timing. The team, which cited a "reliability" fix, ensures the system now fully complies with FIA regulations mandating closure within 400 milliseconds.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc says better power‑unit optimisation is the biggest gap to Mercedes. He still sees a fight at Suzuka, but FP1 will show the true pace as the FIA cuts qualifying energy.
