2025 Japanese F1 Grand Prix Preview: Suzuka Track Guide, Driver Swaps, Tyre Strategy & Who to Watch
- Nicole Nolte
- Apr 2
- 14 min read
Fast cars.
Fierce battles.
Fan-favourite chaos.
🌸 Welcome to Suzuka 🇯🇵
Round 3 of the 2025 Formula 1 season brings us to one of the most ✨️ICONIC✨️ circuits on the calendar (source: cole’s opinion lol 😏) , and I think we can expect a preeeetty exciting weekend tbh.
👀 From surprise driver swaps to car upgrades, potential weather drama (bc that’s what Japan does to us lol), and a full-blown homecoming story, here’s everything you need to know before lights out at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2025 :))
👇 👇 👇
The BIG news: Yuki Tsunoda to Red Bull
Let’s start with the biggest tea of the weekend: Yuki Tsunoda has been promoted to Red Bull Racing, replacing Liam Lawson, starting this weekend at his home race in Suzuka.
… Yeah
It’s – a lot.
On paper, it’s a dream come true. And for Yuki, it genuinely is.
He called the move “fate,” and to get his first shot at a Red Bull seat at his home Grand Prix?
That’s the kind of story that writes itself tbh.
Yuki has been part of the Red Bull and Honda family for YEARS, gradually proving himself in the midfield at AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls, but I always find myself calling them AlphaTauri ngl).
He brings four seasons of F1 experience and a deep understanding of the team, the power unit, and the expectations that come with racing at the top, and Red Bull clearly believes that he can offer more consistent feedback, improve car development, and handle pressure better than Lawson right now.
Buttttt let’s be honest — this move hasn’t landed quietly…
It’s been a HUGE talking point all week 🫣
Fans are split –
Some are thrilled to see Tsunoda finally get the chance he’s worked years for.
… Others feel for Lawson, who’s been thrown into the deep end and barely had time to settle before being moved aside.
So, What Happened With Liam Lawson?
Liam Lawson earned his full-time Red Bull drive after impressing as a stand-in in 2024.
He was calm under pressure, consistent, and fast — and that was enough to replace Sergio Pérez heading into this season.
But the reality of 2025 hit hard...
😶 In Australia, he had a big crash in practice and had to start from the pit lane. His race ended early.
😶 In China, he qualified last and started from the pit lane again.
It’s tough. Two weekends. No points.
No real time to get into a rhythm or show what he could do in a car that needs confidence and feedback 😳
Red Bull’s reasoning is clear: they can’t afford to waste any time in a title fight. They need immediate results.
But even so, pulling a rookie after just two race weekends has raised eyebrows. Fans, pundits, and even some inside the paddock have questioned whether he was given a fair shot.
To be fair, Lawson isn’t out of the game completely.
He’s been moved back to Racing Bulls, where he’ll partner up with Isack Hadjar.
It’s a chance to rebuild confidence and prove he deserves another shot. And at just 23 years old, he still has time. But it’s a blow — and you can’t help but feel for him 😅
What This Means for Tsunoda
This isn’t just a "seat upgrade" — this is a defining moment in Yuki Tsunoda’s career.
For years, many wondered if he'd ever ACTUALLY get a chance at Red Bull's main team (myself included tbh 😗)
Now he’s got it. And it just so happens to be at his home race in Japan. How nifty is that?!
The pressure? Immense 👀
The opportunity? Even bigger 👀
Yuki knows the circuit well. He knows Honda’s expectations. He understands the RB team.
And most of all, he has the support of a nation that has waited years to see one of their own in a front-running car.
He’s been clear: he’s not setting the bar too high, buuuuuuuut he’s dreaming of a podium 🏅
That would be incredible — but even a solid top-six finish would go a long way in showing he deserves that seat tbh.
If he adapts quickly to the RB21 (a car he hasn’t really officially driven until FP1, and is quite notoriously hard to drive) and brings home a good result, this could be the moment that redefines his career.
Upgrades to Watch For: Who’s Bringing the Heat?
🟠 McLaren
McLaren has been very secretive this season — and that hasn’t changed 😗✌️
But what we DO know is that they’ve got a plan to bring small but important updates at every race during this triple-header… 👀
In China, they made a veeeeeery subtle change to the rear brake ducts.
It might sound like a small part, but it noticeably improved the car’s balance and stability under braking (especially in corners that require quick direction changes)
They’re also expected to stick with the high-downforce rear wing spec they ran in China.
That’s going to be ESPECIALLY helpful at Suzuka, where Sectors 1 and 2 are packed with fast, flowing corners that need ✨️grip and stability✨️
One issue they’re still working on is braking performance.
The MCL39 runs with a very aggressive anti-dive suspension setup, which helps during acceleration butttttt can make the car harder to control when braking (particularly in the wet)
Still, the McLaren stands out for its cooling efficiency and tyre management, and right now, they’re arguably the most complete car on the grid rn.
🔴 Ferrari
Ferrari won’t be bringing their big new floor upgrade to Japan (that’s reserved for Bahrain)
This wasn’t a missed deadline or failure; the team is just being cautious and sticking to its development timeline to avoid potential reliability issues (which, fair enough 🤷♀️)
That said, Suzuka miiiiiight actually suit Ferrari well even without the upgrade… 👀
The harder tyre compounds Pirelli has brought this weekend could help settle the car’s known rear-end instability (something that’s beeeeeen affecting their consistency 😗)
The SF-25 has raw pace, and tyre wear has been excellent... But the team has struggled to nail the right setup window from one weekend to the next.
If they get it right this time, they could be back in the fight, especially with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc both showing strong form in recent races.
⚪ Mercedes
Mercedes is bringing a new high-downforce rear wing and a double-beam wing to match Suzuka’s downforce-heavy demands.
The team confirmed that the W16 will receive small tweaks every race…
Some will be visible (like wings and ducts), while others might be internal changes that only show up on the telemetry.
The car is praised for its balanced handling and predictability, even if it’s not quite as fast as the McLaren. That’s helped Russell consistently perform near the front, and it’s given rookie Antonelli a stable platform to learn from (and deliver some pretty impressive results tbh!)
Compared to their 2024 car, Mercedes now has a much better understanding of how to set up their machine (which could maybe make all the difference over a long season)
🤔🤔🤔
🔵 Red Bull
There are no BIG upgrades coming to Suzuka for Red Bull. Instead, they’re waiting until Imola to drop their major performance package.
In the meantime, they’re focused on improving setup and driver feedback.
Oh, and they've brought the HOTTEST special edition livery to Japan to honour their ending Honda partnership 🥰
😶 The RB21 is a tricky bugger – it has a very narrow setup window, and it’s beeeeeeen struggling with mid-corner understeer and rear instability.
Max Verstappen is still getting results by adapting his driving style, but the car is clearly on a knife-edge. That unpredictability is also what Liam Lawson struggled with — and now it’s Yuki Tsunoda’s challenge to figure it out quickly (hopefully he can) 😅
The goal this weekend is simple: maximize what they’ve got and hope Max (and maybe Yuki) can hold on and give some insight while they try to figure it all out.
⚫ Haas
Haas is bringing a tweaked underfloor to Suzuka to combat one of their biggest weaknesses: high-speed cornering.
At tracks like Melbourne and China, they experienced a lot of bouncing through fast sections (which massacres driver confidence and lap time)
Suzuka has even MORE fast corners, so solving this issue is super important this weekend, for performance sake.
With their new partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing and Japanese leadership under Ayao Komatsu, this race feels kinda like a second home GP. And their epic special edition livery ✨️understood the assignment✨️
The goal is to give Ocon and Bearman a more stable car they can trust through the Esses.
If the upgrades work, Haas could be right in the fight for midfield points.
🟢 Aston Martin
There are no maaaaajor parts coming to Japan, because most of Aston Martin’s big upgrades are expected for Imola.
Buttttt Fernando Alonso hinted at a few minor tweaks possibly being tested this weekend or in Saudi Arabia.
Aston Martin’s long-run race pace has looked decent, but they struggle to heat up tyres in qualifying (which affects their starting positions)
Still, their setup team (led by Andy Cowell) is confident in the car’s potential.
They’re going for a slow-burn approach this year: small changes, steady gains...
Track Surface Changes: Suzuka 2.0?
Suzuka has had a biiiiit of a makeover...
Over the F1 winter break, the track was resurfaced in Sector 1 and again near the final sector, where the long straight begins.
The goal here was better drainage and more grip in tricky conditions.
This matters A LOT, especially if it rains (and it very well might) 👀
Water used to pool up in Sector 1 but now it should drain better, making it easier to keep the car under control.
They’ve also installed ✨️new kerbstones✨️
These are a slightly different design, and the grass next to the kerbs has been replaced with gravel – which means if a driver goes wide, they’ll be punished more harshly than before 👀
So basically…
🫣 There’s more grip in the corners, but fewer second chances.
Weather & Strategy Could Change Everything
Friday and Saturday are expected to be dry
(which means clean conditions for practice and qualifying)
Sunday? That’s where it gets fun.
Forecasts suggest possible rain mid-race, with cooler-than-usual April temperatures all weekend. It’s still a bit soon to know for sure though…
Why does this matter?
Cooler air = it gets harder to warm tyres (especially the hard compound)
Rain = strategy chaos and BIG opportunities
Suzuka is a tricky track in the wet, with puddles and spray in awkward places
What You Need to Know about Tyres at Suzuka
Pirelli has brought the hardest tyre compounds in their range for this race (and here’s what that means) –
C1 (Hard)
This is the most durable tyre here, perfect for long stints where you don’t want to stop too often.
But… it’s hard to get into the right temperature window -- especially in cooler weather (which we might have on Sunday).
Drivers will likely struggle for grip early in a stint on hards.
C2 (Medium)
These are the best all-rounder here. It offers a nice mix of grip and longevity and most teams will probably use this as their main race tyre.
C3 (Soft)
These baddies are very grippy, which is great for qualifying. BUT they wear out fast — so softs are not really ideal for long race stints.
They might get used during a short late-race stint or if a Safety Car bunches the field.
Strategy if Dry...
I think we can expect two pit stops to be the standard approach this weekend, with the most likely stints being...
👉 Medium > Hard > Medium or Hard.
Suzuka is TOUGH on tyres. The long, fast corners create a lot of wear.
So yeah, a one-stop strategy is possible, but ONLY if tyre degradation is lower than expected or a Safety Car helps save time.
If It Rains...
Rain is a possibility on Sunday. This would throw everything into CHAOS.
Suzuka is a loooooong lap, so choosing the right time to switch between wet tyres and slicks is SUPER important.
The new asphalt might help grip levels — but only in certain spots.
I think we can expect to see bold tyre calls, lots of pit stops, and possibly a surprise result.
Safety Cars are also very likely this weekend, so keep that in mind 😗✌️
Suzuka Track Breakdown
Suzuka is a fan fav for a reason – it’s the ONLY figure-eight circuit in F1, and it’s got a bit of everything: speed, rhythm, danger, and history.
Suzuka is ✨️THAT girl✨️
Let’s walk the lap together and I’ll take you through the main spots to look at for action 🥰
Turns 1 & 2
This high-speed right-left combo comes at the end of the main straight.
Here, drivers brake while turning, which is one of THE hardest things to do in a Formula 1 car.
The front tyres need to grip immediately, while the rear stays stable — any snap here and you’ll ruin your whole line into the next sector. (so yeah, it’s kinda a big deal)
Getting this section right is SUPER IMPORTANT because it sets you up for the most famous part of the track coming up next: the S-Curves.
Turns 3 to 7 – The S-Curves
This is where Suzuka earns its reputation.
A rapid sequence that goes…
Left 👈
👉 Right
Left 👈
👉 Right
This section demands absolute rhythm and car balance, and there’s barely any time to breathe because each corner flows into the next — if you mess up the first, your WHOLE section is compromised 🫣
Push too hard? You’ll overheat your tyres.
Go in too carefully? You lose all momentum.
This part is a test of commitment, and it’s where great drivers shine.
Turns 8 & 9
Two fast, tight corners that punish mistakes.
There’s not much runoff, soooo if you miss your braking point or the apex, you’re straight into the gravel.
It’s a challenge to keep the car stable here, especially under low fuel or if your tyres are worn.
Look out for…
Snap oversteer (when the rear of the car suddenly and violently loses grip, causing the back end to slide out, often without much warning) and cars running wide.
Needless to say, this is a mistake-heavy zone
Turn 11 – The Hairpin
This is the slowest part of the track.
Here, the drivers slam the brakes from over 300 km/h down to around 60.
Crazy, right?!
It’s also a prime overtaking spot – but ONLY if the driver ahead makes a mistake coming out of Turn 9…
Exit speed here is 👏EV-ERY-THING👏
Get on the power too early and you’ll spin the tyres; too late and you’ll be vulnerable down the next straight.
Turns 13 & 14 – The Long Left-Handers
These double-apex corners are alllllll about patience and control.
You need to carry speed through the first part, tuck the car in, and then accelerate hard out of the second.
If you go wide here, it ruins your exit onto one of the fastest straights of the lap.
That’s why it’s so important.
This section also puts lateral load on the tyres.
Lateral load means sideways force.
So… when a car goes through a corner, it wants to keep going straight (thanks to inertia), buttttt the tyres are forcing it to turn.
😶 That creates side-to-side pressure on the tyres, like the car is “leaning” into the corner.
😶 That side pressure stretches the rubber of the tyres and generates heat.
😶 And over time, this breaks down the tyre’s grip, especially in long, high-speed corners like Suzuka’s S-Curves.
More wear = less grip = slower lap times and more chance of sliding and making mistakes.
As tyres wear out, they lose performance (less grip, less stability)
Late in the race, drivers are pushing hard but their tyres are worn, sooooo…
A section that demands precision and grip (like fast, twisty corners) becomes a LOT harder to manage.
This is when you see small errors turn into spins, lockups, or running wide.
Basically, corners with a lot of lateral load wear down tyres faster and then by the end of the race, that wear makes it easier for drivers to make mistakes, especially in sections where they need every bit of grip to stay on track.
Turn 15 – The flat-out kink (130R)
The name 130R comes from the corner’s radius (it’s a 130-metre radius left-hander)
It’s one of the fastest corners in Formula 1, and most drivers take this flat-out at over 300 km/h — butttttt it’s not as easy as it sounds (at all!)
The rear can snap or drift if your setup isn’t perfect, and in traffic, the dirty air can throw the car off.
It’s a test of courage. If you see a driver lift here, something’s wrong (or they’re saving tyres) – maybe a bit of both tbh.
Turns 16 & 17 – The final chicane
This is the last real overtaking opportunity.
After the full-speed blast through 130R, drivers SLAM on the brakes and dive into a tight left-right chicane.
It’s easy to lock up and run wide here…
If someone’s close behind, this is where they’ll make a move (or try to force an error)
On the final lap, you’ll often see drivers throwing everything at this section to gain just one more place.
Turn 18 – The run down to the finish
This is not reeeeeeally a turn, but more of a flat-out blast to the end.
It’s where everything is decided. If two cars come out of the chicane side by side, this is where the drag race to the line happens, so be sure to keep an eye on this spot for some action.
Who to Watch This Weekend
Yuki Tsunoda at Redbull
This is more than just a race for Yuki — it’s his first Grand Prix in a Red Bull, and it’s happening on home soil.
No pressure, right? 😅
With thousands of Japanese fans cheering him on, the energy will be EPIC. If he nails his debut, expect the grandstands to explode.
Buttttt let’s not sugarcoat it — the RB21 is a … handful (to say the least)
If Yuki can wrestle it into the points on his first official drive for the team this season, it’ll be a standout drive for sure.
Max Verstappen (Still Winless in 2025)
That’s not a typo (I wish it was 🥲)
Max, the reigning champ, is three races into the season without a win 😳
Suzuka is one of his strongest tracks — he dominated here in 2022 in the wet — and he’ll be looking to stamp his authority back on the field.
Butttttt with no upgrades on the car this weekend and a tricky setup to manage, it’s not going to be easy.
Still… never count Max out.
Like, ever... 👀
Norris & Piastri are the ones to beat
McLaren has been in insane form. It really is looking like the car to beat. It’s fast in corners, kind to tyres, and balanced under pressure.
But Suzuka is a true test.
If they can dominate here, there’s a real case to be made for McLaren being the new top dogs in F1.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
For a teenager in his rookie season, Antonelli is driving like a veteran.
But Suzuka is a serious step up.
It’s technical, high-speed, and punishes every mistake.
Keep an eye on how he handles each sector and the race in changing conditions, because this track separates the good from the great.
George Russell
Russell has been flying under the radar, but he’s delivered consistent top-5s and podiums, keeping Mercedes in the conversation.
If chaos unfolds (weather, Safety Cars, strategy gambles), George is exactly the type of driver who hangs around to pick up the pieces and steal a win or a podium.
Midfield Wildcards – Sainz, Alonso, Albon
This group knows how to pounce when others slip.
Sainz is always lurking, Alonso’s strategic mind is unmatched, and Albon has been dragging the Williams to places it doesn’t always belong.
If there’s carnage, expect at least one of them to be sniffing around the top five.
GET EXCITEDDDD
The 2025 Japanese Grand Prix isn’t just another race, it’s got the potential to be a classic 🤭
Suzuka brings out the best — and sometimes the worst — in every driver.
And it’s almost time for us to see what unfolds...
Let's go RACING in Japan!
🌸🇯🇵🥰
I am so excited for Tsuki to watch big brother do beeeeeg things