F1 Season Update post Japan

The hot topic this season is battery management. Multiple drivers have been quite vocal about their opinions on the matter. Heading into the month-long break, caused by the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Grands Prix, all 11 teams will spend their time working to upgrade and better understand these new cars.

This style of racing has even been compared to Mario Kart by both drivers and fans, with Verstappen being one of the strongest critics. He has been very open about his willingness to retire if he isn’t enjoying himself in this new era of F1.

The biggest news out of Japan is Ollie Bearman’s massive crash. While taking avoiding action after rapidly catching Colapinto, Bearman’s Haas slid through the grass and gravel before slamming into the barrier. The impact was recorded at 50Gs. Fortunately, he was able to walk away and is okay after further testing at a local hospital. Sainz has also voiced concerns about the safety of these new regulations.

There have been some positives through the first three races of the season. Kimi is the youngest championship leader in history, Cadillac has been gathering plenty of data and logging a high number of laps, and Ferrari has consistently been gaining positions thanks to their strong starts off the line.

Looking ahead, teams have until May before the next race weekend, giving them plenty of time to upgrade, analyze, and improve reliability. The pecking order is likely to change, and the gaps at the front will almost certainly tighten.

The big question is: can Mercedes maintain their gap to the field, or will McLaren and Ferrari reel them in?