Pitstop scrolls

Suzuka Qualifying done. Mercedes on pole again. Ferrari lost it in the final sector. McLaren were close but not there. Verstappen called his car undriveable. Alonso was almost three seconds off. The 2026 pecking order is starting to take shape.

@formularacers_ Bearman’s crash just walked into that meeting uninvited.

🚨 | The FIA had already scheduled talks with the drivers and teams regarding the 2026 regulations and potential tweaks. After today's race, the next four weeks could see even more intensive discussions about short and long-term plans.

@kunalashah Russell's deployment issues in the closing laps weren't a one-off. Mercedes got something to worry about going forward.

George Russell must feel undone after today’s race. The Safety Car always plays on luck, yes, but Russell’s recovery drive after the restart was impacted by power deployment issues. At the restart: Russell hit his harvest limit prematurely After the restart: unexpected super clipping Mercedes claim that overtaking got tougher as the race progressed since other teams optimised energy management. Interesting insight!

@MattP1Gallagher The speed differential wasn't a surprise. Drivers flagged it before the season started. Alonso said it before the race. Bearman just made it impossible to ignore.

That Ollie Bearman crash should be ALL the proof the FIA needs to make drastic changes to stop the insane closing speeds

@F1GuyDan First finish. The problems didn't go anywhere though.

For the first time in 2026, an Aston Martin driver will be classified as a race finisher. Fernando Alonso did that today at Honda's home race.

Antonelli led, Piastri chased, Leclerc fought. Mercedes won the race. McLaren won the start. Ferrari won the fight. #JapaneseGP

@F1BigData “Overtaking by accident.” That summarise these regulations so far.

Alonso was asked the following right now: Do you think the race at Suzuka could be more fun with the battery games? "No, not fun at all. What fun is there going to be in overtaking by accident? Overtaking these days is accidental. Suddenly you find yourself with a higher battery than the car in front, and you either crash into them or you overtake them. It's an evasive maneuver, not an overtaking."

@F1BigData 3 races in and a full grid would be a milestone. Says a lot about reliability.

Tomorrow, we might finally see all 22 drivers on the starting grid Australia - Piastri and Hulkenberg DNS China Sprint - Albon Pit Lane China Race - Norris, Piastri, Bortoleto and Albon DNS

@wearetherace Albon said it best. You can be quicker in every corner and still finish the lap slower. That’s a new kind of driving challenge which looks like just not the one anyone wanted.

😩 "Hurts your soul" ❌ Challenge has "gone" 🚓 "Handcuffed" drivers The 2026 #F1 regulations have not proved popular with drivers at Suzuka, lamenting the impact of harvesting and deployment on one of the championship's most-loved tracks: the-race.com/formula-1/suzu…

@formularacers_ This year it sounds structural.

Max Verstappen after qualifying: "I think we have bigger problems than what we had last year. "Some parts of the car at the moment are not working how we want them to work."

@F1GuyDan One of each. Something isn't adding up at Red Bull.

🚨 Max Verstappen in qualifying in 2026 Q3 appearances - 1 Q2 eliminations - 1 Q1 eliminations - 1

@F1BigData 10 years. Two Honda projects. Same story

Fernando Alonso set almost exactly the same qualifying time in 2016 as he did today Suzuka 2016 qualy (McLaren-Honda): 1:32.646 Suzuka 2026 qualy (Aston Martin-Honda): 1:32.689

@formularacers_ The driver knows. The engineer knows. The radio just made it official.

Albon: "Where was I slow to Carlos?" Engineer: "You probably don't want to know, but you can probably guess." Albon: "Yesss. I complain for 3 races in a row that something's wrong - but I'm sure it's my driving style."

@F1GuyDan The gap isn't the only problem. They still don't know what's causing it.

Aston Martin's first time qualifying at Suzuka using a Honda engine P21 - Fernando Alonso P22 - Lance Stroll Not the homecoming they wanted.

@F1GuyDan 130R isn’t gone. The question is whether it’s still a corner that separates drivers or it’s just another energy decision.

It’s disappointing how these regulations are taking all the character out of tracks. 130R at Suzuka, Turns 9-10 in Melbourne used to be some of the best places to watch an F1 car. Now those are gone. Soon most tracks will feel bland & similar. It shouldn’t be that way.

Friday at Suzuka: Mercedes look settled. McLaren have pace. Ferrari slightly off. And reliability is already part of the story. Feels like consistency might matter more than outright pace this weekend. #JapaneseJP

Suzuka doesn’t give you time to think. Corner after corner of commitment. Now do that while managing energy. #JapaneseGP

@fia @F1 Reducing the recharge limit at Suzuka, not raising it. Less to fill means drivers aren’t spending the whole lap chasing the battery. Now the problem isn’t power, it’s how much of the lap is spent managing energy.

An ajustement to the energy management parameters for Qualifying at the #JapaneseGP has been agreed with the unanimous support of all Power Unit Manufacturers. #FIA #F1

@ThisIsFormu1a1 Dirty air isn’t gone. It’s just being managed differently.

🚨| How new F1 rulebook shifts focus from aero to power in solving a long-standing problem: — The new F1 regulations tested over two race weekends indicate a shift from solely relying on aerodynamic solutions to addressing the dirty air issue. Fast cars inherently create turbulent wakes, and high downforce remains essential. — The introduction of new power units has altered the dynamics, allowing drivers to stay closer and engage in battles even in disturbed air. This marks a significant change, reducing the impact of dirty air compared to previous seasons. — Despite Ferrari's strong performance against Mercedes, they have struggled to maintain the fight, highlighting that the current rules are not flawless. Teams are collaborating with F1 to refine these regulations for better racing. — Aerodynamics and tyres still play crucial roles, but the future may require a combination of aero improvements and power delivery systems. The challenge lies in ensuring these systems do not create artificial advantages like DRS. — The ongoing dialogue and data collection from current regulations provide a valuable test case for F1. The sport aims to develop a comprehensive solution that promotes closer racing by overcoming the effects of dirty air. — The key takeaway is that F1 must focus on overcoming dirty air effects rather than merely reducing them to achieve closer racing. This approach could lead to a more complete and lasting fix for the sport's long-standing problem. #f12026 VIA: [motorsportweek]

@Planet_F1 130R used to be about commitment. If that zone really sits near 130R, it’s also about what mode the car is in.

A bold move... The FIA has added an straight-mode zone for Suzuka... on the approach to 130R. planetf1.com/news/fia-japan…