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The F1 circus heads to Japan after a gap of three years following the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. The iconic Suzuka racetrack greets the teams with what should be a championship crowning weekend for Max Verstappen.
We reach Suzuka with only five races left this season. We had the 2022 F1 Singapore GP last weekend and things are intensifying in the championship right now. Multiple teams are heading to Suzuka aiming to right the wrongs of Singapore and would be desperate for a strong result. Who are these teams? Let's find out!
#1 Mercedes
Mercedes had a chance to win the 2022 F1 Singapore GP. If Lewis Hamilton had nailed his final lap in qualifying and started from pole position, he would have been in a prime position to capitalize.
This season has been a mixed bag for Mercedes. It has been a spectator in the championship battle between Ferrari and Red Bull. It has collected points here and there and made progress as well, closing the gap to the front.
Having said that, its pace can be a bit deceiving. The team has had a few chances to score a win this season but hasn't made the most of it. The first was arguably at Silverstone, where Lewis Hamilton could not switch on the tires. The second was Hungary, where George Russell could not convert pole position into a win. Then there was Zandvoort, where a strategic faux pas left Hamilton exposed. Finally, it was Singapore, where Hamilton did not have the overall best car on track but had he nailed the opportunity in front of him, a win was surely a possibility.
The German team heads to Suzuka, a track where it should be competitive once again, and will be hoping to return to the podium at the very least.
#2 Alpine F1
Alpine's last two races have been a mirror image of its implosion when it lost Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri over the summer break. The team had stayed consistent for long and eked out a lead in the F1 championship over McLaren. All it took was two shambolic races to turn it all south.
Alpine is not P4 anymore and has had two pointless races where McLaren has raked in a chunk. In terms of pace, the former still holds the advantage over the latter. Fernando Alonso's pace at the Singapore GP was proof of that. What is, however, a concern for the French outfit is its persistent reliability issues.
The last two races have seen three retirements for Alpine. You can't challenge for P4 in F1 with this poor reliability. Heading into Japan, the French outfit should be confident that it has a strong car. The battle for P4 is almost a battle for pride for Alpine at the moment after McLaren took their prized possession of Oscar Piastri in a manner that has stung the team.
The Enstone-based outfit has not taken what happened lightly and is looking at the battle for P4 as a chance for redemption. After losing momentum in the last two races, Alpine will be desperate to gain some of it back at the 2022 F1 Japanese GP.
#3 Haas F1
Haas has not covered itself in glory since the summer break on track and off it as well. It already has Kevin Magnussen for next season but is not too sure whether to continue with Mick Schumacher or not.
In all fairness, neither of the two drivers inspires confidence within the team. Schumacher is steady, but he's not a blistering young prospect who has blown his teammate out of the water. On the other hand, Magnussen and 'black and orange' flags have had a peculiar relationship this season as the driver ends up damaging his front wing in the first few laps of a race far too often.
Haas started the F1 season with a bang as Magnussen scored a chunk of points in the first few races. While other teams have caught up, the major upgrade that it brought to Hungary has not helped it progress in the midfield.
On the contrary, it has seen the car generate excess drag and become a bit vulnerable down the straights. With Aston Martin scoring a double-point finish in Singapore, it has leapfrogged Haas in the standings. Apart from that, AlphaTauri is level on points with the American team and could be a serious threat in the upcoming races.
The Kannapolis-based outfit is looking at slumping back to P9 in the championship if the form continues and that is just not desirable for the team. In Japan, a track that should aid the aerodynamic efficiency of the car, Haas would be desperate to snatch a strong result for the championship.
