Hamilton: If Red Bull doesn't dominate in Suzuka, something's up

The F1 paddock heads to Suzuka this weekend for the return of the Japanese Grand Prix after a three-year hiatus.

Ahead of the event, Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton predicts Red Bull's rampant pace will resume at the fast, flowing circuit where the Milton Keynes squad has traditionally excelled.

Red Bull endured an uncharacteristically off-weekend in Singapore, struggling in qualifying with both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez eliminated in Q2.

The lack of single-lap performance was a mystery given Red Bull's RB19 has consistently boasted formidable high-downforce characteristics this season.

As Sergio Perez noted, Suzuka with its high-speed corners should suit the qualities of Red Bull's stellar package.

Echoing his teammate's sentiments, Hamilton expects to see Red Bull back to their overwhelming best in Japan.

"I would think if they're not 30 seconds ahead like they have been in the past, then something's up," remarked the seven-time champion.

"It'll be interesting to see how the weekend goes. I hope we'll be closer, and I hope they're not as fast as the 30-second gap."

Hamilton praised Red Bull's achievements over the past year, saying they have "aced pretty much every circuit" with a "phenomenal" car.

For him, it will be "great to watch that car in general" at Suzuka where its prowess should shine through the challenging layout.

Analyzing Mercedes' own showing in Singapore, Hamilton believes they did not have a considerable race pace advantage over Ferrari and McLaren's Lando Norris.

However, he cautions that the Marina Bay performance may not translate to Suzuka, a markedly different circuit.

"I don't anticipate having the performance we had in the last race," noted Hamilton.

In 2022, Mercedes were firmly behind Red Bull and Ferrari on single-lap pace at Suzuka.

Hamilton qualified sixth and finished fifth in an abbreviated wet race.

With overtaking difficult, strong qualifying will be crucial to Mercedes' hopes of battling at the front.

Mercedes have brought upgrades targeting improved downforce efficiency, an area of weakness for them this season.

But if Hamilton's predictions are accurate, Red Bull's superiority in high-speed corners may be hard to overcome this weekend.