The comparison with 2025 will be unequal
After a mixed start for the F1 2026 from the point of view of the performance of the cars and the related show offered between an alarming Australia and a more convincing China, the Suzuka test now risks being nothing short of probative for this new generation of cars.
As we highlighted yesterday the FIA has decided to foresee the opening of the wings only in two points, on the starting straight and in the extension following the Cucchiaio curve, with the closing of the wings well before the 130R to ward off the specters of dangerous accidents in a point where the walls are very close to the track.
It is therefore logical to expect decidedly slower lap times compared to the recent past also because without ground effect, especially the entire first sector will be decidedly less fast as underlined by the Alpine Race Director Dave Greenwood. “With less aerodynamic load we will certainly see lower speeds in the Esses from Turn-3 to Turn-7, a section that the drivers will face with one gear less compared to the last editions – explained Greenwood – and with less downforce also at the Cucchiaio curve I expect different trajectories from the riders”.
Energy management will present teams with several dilemmas, one above all 130R: “Suzuka is not bad from an energy recovery point of view, but the straight sections are different and, above all, long. I think we will see some speed variations in the 130R corner between the different teams, because you don’t want to waste energy if you lose speed laterally on the tyres.”
THE overtakes they will be difficult, but Greenwood does not expect the ‘yo-yo’ effect or overtaking and counter-overtaking as happened both in Australia and in China between two consecutive straight sections: “If you overtake before Turn 1, it will be difficult for someone to overtake because then you are facing the Esses and not another straight.”
