Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer at Suzuka

“Strategy-wise, this is likely to be a two-stop race - one-stop is fine on wear but may be an issue with degradation. Three stops makes you too vulnerable to traffic on a track where overtaking is difficult - and is slower anyway. So that leaves two stops. Daniel Ricciardo said the race was ‘unpredictable’. 

"That’s partly because the rain on Friday means no team has done more than eight laps on a set of tyres. So once they have gone five laps into the race on tyres that have done three laps in qualifying, the teams and drivers are into uncharted territory.”

Image source, Getty Images

Austria's Gerhard Berger, who won the first F1 Japanese Grand Prix in 1987, tells BBC Sport's David Coulthard: "Everything is back to normal here. If they have a good start and no technical issues, I think we will see Mercedes going away."

The Sunday Times say 'normal service was resumed at Suzuka' with Mercedes locking out the front row, Nico Rosberg on pole ahead of championship leader Lewis Hamilton as their 'mysterious loss of form in Singapore a week ago was all but forgotten'. 

Image source, Sunday Times

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, starting seventh, talks to BBC Sport's David Coulthard on the grid while he receives a head and neck massage.

Is he feeling relaxed and loose and ready to overtake the cars in front?

He said: "We don't have enough speed in the straights. Turn 11 is always a good spot - maybe in the corner if I am close enough. We will have to use strategy."

Image source, Getty Images

The fans are in fine form once again for today's race. 

Image source, Getty Images

David Coulthard
BBC F1 co-commentator

"Watch out for Williams at the start - these guys have been making good starts and Mercedes are nervous."

Williams' Valtteri Bottas, starting third, speaking to BBC Sport's David Coulthard: "I am feeling quite confident for the start. I have been having some good starts lately and Mercedes have been having some issues."

BBC One

Image source, Getty Images

Just woke up? Don't forget you can watch this race live on BBC One now, with David Coulthard running around the grid in the pursuit of interviews.

The Mail on Sunday say that McLaren's Jenson Button is 'rethinking' reported retirement plans as a result of team-mate Fernando Alonso considering his future in the sport.

Should Alonso walk away, they say, it would leave McLaren 'in the most precarious situation - without one, or possibly, two of their star drivers'.

The report adds that virus-infected and 'bed-ridden' team boss Ron Dennis 'will try to heave himself into the paddock today to talk to Alonso and Button to try to save the reputation of his team.'

Image source, Mail on Sunday

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer at Suzuka

“Discussions aimed at securing Red Bull and Toro Rosso a Ferrari engine supply for next year continue, with no solution yet. Insiders say that the Ferrari race team want to give Red Bull year-old engines, which is allowed in the rules but which is unacceptable to Red Bull. 

"They say owner Dietrich Mateschitz has made his position clear - equality or Red Bull quit F1. One insider said: ‘It needs some grown-ups to sit down and sort it out.’”

The Japanese fans at Suzuka love to give gifts to the drivers and here is one of the more creative efforts. A Star Wars poster with a Mercedes twist. Top work.

Image source, BBC Sport

David Coulthard
BBC F1 co-commentator

"Mercedes have not given us a clear description of what went wrong in Singapore. Aerodynamics are so complex, occasionally you fall out of the window."

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, starting second, tells BBC Sport's Lee McKenzie on how he got over his retirement from the Singapore GP: "I forgot about it as soon as I got home and went to bed. I have so much confidence in our guys, I know they will do everything they can to make sure it doesn't happen again." 

Sebastian Vettel has won more Japanese GPs (four) than any other current driver, while Ferrari are the most successful team with nine wins.

More stats and facts here.

A very cute McLaren-Honda fan... and even younger than Max Verstappen!

Interesting comparison from the Mercedes team, who say the characteristics of Suzuka are the closest to British Grand Prix venue Silverstone on the F1 calendar.

Image source, Getty Images

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer at Suzuka

“It may not surprise you to hear that there is a potential issue with tyres in this race. Concerned to prevent a repeat of the the explosions of Spa, Pirelli has mandated higher tyre pressures for this weekend, to bolster the tyre’s strength and take the strain off what appears to be a construction with a weakness that can be tested by high cornering loads. Minimum rear tyre pressures are 3.5psi higher than they were at this race last year and the effect has been overheating tyres.

“‘It’s going to be tough for everyone because the pressures are so high,’ Jenson Button said. ‘The tyres are just going to be overheating after one lap. They end up being like balloons because the pressures get so high. Everyone will have problems, and we'll be included in that.’

“Lotus driver Romain Grosjean described the limits as ‘extreme, massively higher than we would normally run’. Pirelli motorsport boss Paul Hembery said the approach was ‘quite normal’ because Suzuka was such a ‘severe’ track. Drivers and engineers would counter by saying the tyres should be able to cope with the rigours of the track - but feel Pirelli are being overly conservative anyway. Some played down the issue and said that the anti-clockwise nature of the track meant wear was evenly distributed left and right and that Pirelli did not need to be so concerned.”

Image source, Getty Images