Formula 1 leaders Mercedes have chance to complete hat-trick of wins in Suzuka

[p]The pair have won one Sunday race each but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russell-george/xxF56RaN/"]Russell[/a], winner of the season-opener in Australia ‌and the Saturday sprint in China, leads his Chinese Grand Prix-winning teammate by four points.[/p][p]Mercedes last kicked off with a hat-trick of ‌wins in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic-hit season in which Austria's Red Bull Ring hosted the ‌first two races.[/p][p]The last time they started with three one-two finishes was in 2019.[/p][p]Having made a similarly dominant start ‌to the sport's new era this season, including locking out the front row in every qualifying ‌session, they could tick off both milestones on Sunday.[/p][p][b]"We have made a positive start to the season but it is only that,"[/b] said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. [b]"We know that the moment you think you've got this sport figured out, you ‌are usually proven wrong."[/b][/p][embed guid="70c902da-8e87-4839-a15f-f96a94de74de" url="https://x.com/F1/status/2036820652544385154" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Ferrari chasing first win at Suzuka since 2004[/h2][p]Despite ⁠Wolff's caution, either Russell or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]Antonelli[/a] should be celebrating ‌a first win at Suzuka, a 5.8-km figure-of-eight layout widely hailed as a drivers' track that hosts the 40th ​running of the Japanese round.[/p][p]Ferrari, who last won at Suzuka in 2004 and have been second-best to Mercedes in the opening two races, will hope to rise to the challenge.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leclerc-charles/KlCOSRub/"]Charles ​Leclerc[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hamilton-lewis/tI5Vpe1h/"]Lewis Hamilton[/a], thanks to their fast starts and intra-team duels, have served up plenty of wheel-to-wheel entertainment.[/p][p]Seven-time world champion Hamilton, in particular, has shown plenty of fight and ended his podium drought ⁠in China with a third-place finish. A ​four-time Suzuka winner, the Briton will be hoping that run continues.[/p][p]Circuit owners Honda will be hoping for a happier homecoming as power unit suppliers to Aston Martin after a dismal start to their year.[/p][p]Neither [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alonso-fernando/rVRhR90U/"]Fernando Alonso[/a] nor [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stroll-lance/I3p9zz4s/"]Lance Stroll[/a] have finished the opening two races, with vibrations from the Japanese manufacturer's power unit severely ‌limiting running.[/p][p]Just getting to the chequered flag would be big progress for the Japanese manufacturer that powered [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verstappen-max/UV3mgeXB/"]Max Verstappen[/a] to four successive wins on the circuit from 2022 to 2025 when they were partners to Red Bull.[/p][p]The four-time world champion, who now has a Ford-badged Red Bull power unit in his car, will also be looking to bounce back after retiring in China.[/p][p][b]"Heading into Suzuka, this is one of my favourite tracks to race at with lots of high-speed corners,"[/b] said Verstappen. [b]"There is a lot of history at this circuit for the team and it is one I always look forward to coming back to."[/b][/p][p]McLaren will be hoping for a strong showing after reigning champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norris-lando/WSVABbVF/"]Lando Norris[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/piastri-oscar/MqKAIeUf/"]Oscar Piastri[/a] were ‌unable to start in China.[/p][p]Australian Piastri will be especially keen to get a full race distance under ​his belt, having only completed the China sprint so far after also crashing out on a ‌reconnaissance lap ahead of his home race in Melbourne.[/p][p]Haas could provide some cheer for the Japanese fans.[/p][p]The US-owned team have Toyota's motorsports division as their title sponsors and are led by Japanese team principal Ayao Komatsu.[/p][p]The team, running a special Godzilla-themed livery from this weekend, are an impressive fourth in the constructors' standings with the team's British racer [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bearman-oliver/tMI3u5xo/"]Oliver Bearman[/a] fifth in the drivers' ⁠battle.[/p][p]The Japanese Grand Prix will be the last ⁠race until the Miami Grand Prix on ‌May 3 with April's Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds cancelled due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle ​East.[/p]