Japan: The Hits and Misses from the Editorial Team

The Top 3

Valtteri Bottas returns to business

Free practice sessions at the top of the standings suggested the best for Bottas for the rest of the weekend. Taking advantage of the double failed start by the Ferrari drivers, the Finnish driver took the lead of the race at the first corner. He would hold this position until the finish, not without fear of an off-strategy for his English teammate. Proof that he is not confident at Mercedes in his full ability to compete with Lewis Hamilton. A victory that comes at the right time and will do him the greatest good.

A perfect weekend for Pierre Gasly

On a track he knows perfectly and at the wheel of a single-seater that suits him much better than its big sister Red Bull, Pierre Gasly probably had the best weekend of his 2019 season by being present in the Top 10 in all the sessions except FP1.

The Toro Rosso driver will have completely overshadowed a lackluster Daniil Kvyat and should thus secure his place in Formula 1 next year.

Mercedes still at the top

A complicated restart after the summer break, a “lucky” return to business in Sochi. Mercedes has definitively righted the ship with brilliance in Japan. On this technical track, the German team managed to provide its drivers with a winning machine. After dominating Friday’s free practice. Valtteri Bottas won without anyone being able to challenge his victory. And apart from the pole, they swept everything this weekend, with Lewis Hamilton setting the fastest lap in the race and claiming the third step on the podium. Mercedes thus wins its 6th Constructors’ title, and consecutively at that. Undefeated in this era of hybrid engines, Mercedes is more than ever the team to beat. Only Ferrari had achieved this feat between 1999 and 2004. Furthermore, it is also a Mercedes driver who will be crowned this year. Once again, 2019 will be a full year for the Germans.

The Flop 3

Return of Old Demons for the Reds

Despite being behind the grid in free practice, the Italian team managed to lock in the front row of qualifications on Sunday morning with authority. In the race, Ferrari showed a completely different face. A missed start for Vettel, who couldn’t find the rhythm in the race. His second place was saved thanks to the power of his engine. Charles Leclerc also missed his start, then made the mistake of sending Verstappen into the gravel trap at the second turn. The team failed to react in time to change the Monegasque driver’s wing, taking its time to scatter carbon pieces on the track. Ferrari once again stumbled when everyone imagined a Scuderia that had become efficient, united, and motivated by the end of August.

From bad to worse for Kimi Räikkönen

Kimi stayed on vacation? It’s a bit provocative, but nothing is going well for the Finn since the return from the summer break. Since the championship resumed on his favorite circuit, Kimi Räikkönen has been experiencing poor results, mistakes, and underperformances. Worse still, his teammate Antonio Giovinazzi, who is still not certain to be retained next year, regularly outperforms him in qualifying and races. Giovinazzi even led for a few laps at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The decisions of the FIA

This flop comes after the Italian Grand Prix. It is clear that Sebastian Vettel was not reprimanded following his false start yesterday, unlike Kimi Räikkönen who committed the same mistake in Russia and received a drive-through penalty. The same goes for Charles Leclerc who initially was not penalized for his collision with Max Verstappen at the beginning of the race. Still on the subject of Ferrari, the FIA should have intervened much earlier regarding the debris coming off the Monegasque driver’s front wing.