Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix car-by-car event guide

Red Bull’s pursuit of the perfect season may be over, but it can still secure a special piece of Formula 1 history at the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend.

After 15 straight wins for the team and a record 10 straight for Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s golden run came to a sudden end at Singapore.

Strangely the Marina Bay streets proved to be the kryptonite of the RB19, much like it brought Mercedes undone in 2015.

Download the full Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix event guide HERE with track stats and facts and a full event schedule, plus our extensive driver profiles.

Despite neither Red Bull being on the podium or making Q3, this is tipped to be a one-off as Suzuka’s long and fast corners should suit the RB19 and all the talk is whether or not Christian Horner’s team can wrap up the constructors championship with six races still to go.

Max Verstappen celebrates his title success at Japan in 2022. Photo by Sam Bloxham / LAT Images

For Red Bull to achieve it at the home of its power unit supplier Honda, it must outscore Mercedes by one point or more, plus not have Ferrari outscore it by 24 points or more.

Red Bull currently enjoys a commanding 308 point lead over Mercedes and 332 over Ferrari.

Last year Verstappen secured his second drivers championship at a very wet Japanese Grand Prix, while the team wrapped up its title at Austin.

The leading contender to stop Red Bull is Ferrari, which has not only taken the fight to the charging bulls but beaten them.

The Scuderia assault has been fronted by Spaniard Carlos Sainz, who is on fire and in arguably career best form.

Carlos Sainz shone brightly under the Singapore stars. Photo by Andy Hone / LAT Images

After some conversations with the team over the summer break, Sainz came out firing, taking two poles, a podium and a special Singapore win.

Although Mercedes and McLaren were also in the mix for victory at Singapore, Ferrari has the better consistency and speed heading into the Japanese Grand Prix.

Whilst the constructors championship itself could be wrapped up, the fight for second is only intensifying with Ferrari just 24 points behind Mercedes.

Looking to throw a cat amongst the pigeons once again is McLaren after returning to the podium via Lando Norris.

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri hope to make an impact with the upgraded McLaren. Photo by Steven Tee / LAT Images

But after soaring from 17th to seventh in the old car, all eyes will be on Australia’s Oscar Piastri to see what he can do in the upgraded MCL60.

The aggressively re-profiled side pods, plus revised floor and front wing endplate have been suggested to be two to three tenths faster, so Australians could anticipate Piastri to be fighting for more points at the very least.

All eyes will also be on Liam Lawson, who is fresh from his first career points and wants to make another statement amid speculation he may miss out on an AlphaTauri seat to Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda, who is gearing up for his home race.

Unlike last year, sunny skies are predicted for the Japanese Grand Prix, which will even begin during a respectable time of the day.

Photo by Mark Sutton / Sutton Images