The Japanese GP unfolded as expected: a rather uneventful race, with few overtakes and a fairly linear pace. The track layout, combined with the difficulty of overtaking and the high durability of the tyres, produced the typical “trains” characteristic of Suzuka.
The race started on a dry track, with no threat of rain: all strategies focused on a one-stop approach. Sixteen drivers chose mediums at the start, while four opted for hards or softs, including Hamilton, who started on hards to benefit from mediums in the final stint.
Russell was the first to pit on lap 19, in a (failed) attempt to undercut Charles Leclerc. Soon after, Oscar Piastri stopped, followed by nearly the entire field. The tyres held up well, also thanks to new asphalt in some sections of the circuit. Antonelli, who started on mediums, delayed his stop by ten laps compared to the leaders, with Hamilton behind on hards but unable to match the Italian’s pace. Hamilton pitted one lap before Antonelli to switch to mediums, trying to capitalise on performance late in the race.
Further back, Liam Lawson and Carlos Sainz also delayed their stops, switching to softs for the final stint: a choice that didn’t pay off. Strategies turned out to be very similar among the drivers, with no major gambles.
Start
Flat race, and an equally uneventful start: all drivers got away well, with only Hulkenberg swapping positions with Sainz. Tsunoda was the fastest from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds, while Bortoleto was the slowest at 3.3. Even from 0 to 200 km/h the gaps were minimal, with only three tenths separating the best and the worst.
Pit stops
Clean pit stops for everyone. McLaren confirmed itself as the fastest, but the lack of pressure and surprises likely helped all teams avoid mistakes. An interesting detail concerns McLaren and Red Bull: the Woking team was the quickest in the pit lane, while Red Bull suffered a 1.2-second delay in stops. In a tightly contested race like today’s, this could have cost valuable positions. The “slowness” in the pits appears to be due to the replacement of two regular crew members.
So, even though time differences in pit stops were small, in certain situations just a few tenths can make the difference.
Japan GP Reaction times at the start and pit stop durations. Photo: Filippo Pesavento
Top speed
Although it’s a secondary metric, the top speed analysis shows Ferrari (Leclerc) and Mercedes (Antonelli) among the slowest, despite being the fastest in qualifying. Both spent most of the race without a slipstream, partly explaining the low speeds. Gabriel Bortoleto impressed with 343 km/h, likely achieved thanks to a strong tow on the straight before the final corner.
Fastest lap
Kimi Antonelli set the fastest lap of the race with a 1:30.965, also establishing a new race lap record for the track. A solid performance that confirms his impressive development. He was followed by Oscar Piastri, who set his time while chasing Norris, and Verstappen, just a few thousandths behind. Leclerc and Hamilton were only ninth and tenth, confirming the struggles of their respective cars.
A race without major twists, but not without points of interest. The 2025 World Championship has so far offered little spectacle, but we’re only three races in: the season is long, and F1 history has shown that everything can still change.
Japan GP Top Speed and Fastest Lap Analysis. Photo: Filippo Pesavento
Source: f1ingenerale
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