F1 LIVE | Can Ferrari end Mercedes' dominance? Follow the Japanese GP press conference here!

After a perfect start to 2026, securing two one-two victories in a row at Australia and China respectively, everyone will be wondering whether Mercedes can be stopped in Japan. Ferrari look like the team most capable of catching the Silver Arrows, but will it be Charles Leclerc or a rejuvenated Lewis Hamilton that gives them the best chance in Japan?

And what about the chasing pack? McLaren will be hoping to finally secure a good raft of points after a disastrous double DNS in Shanghai last time out, with Oscar Piastri yet to take part in a Grand Prix this season. Red Bull are also suffering some early season issues, as Max Verstappen's frustration with the 2026 rules, and his RB22, show no signs of subsiding. The Dutchman went point-less in China after retiring from the Grand Prix with an ERS cooling issue.

Further down the grid, Honda have said they have made "some progress" with the extreme vibration issue on Aston Martin's AMR26, but admit they are yet to find the root cause of their problems. Meanwhile, driver Fernando Alonso is set to arrive late to the Japanese GP weekend due to the birth of his first child with long-term partner Melissa Jimenez. The Silverstone-based team also announced that the two-time world champion will be replaced for FP1 by young American talent Jak Crawford.

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