F1's Japanese GP has storylines that may be as fleeting as the country's cherry blossoms

SUZUKA, Japan (AP) — The Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday is only the third Formula 1 race of the season, and several plots are developing that promise a few twists.

But the fresh storylines could be as fleeting as the cherry blossoms seen all over Japan at this time of the year.

There's McLaren, which has been the early force after winning the first two races. Are Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri about to run away with the season just as Red Bull and Max Verstappen have in winning the last four drivers' titles?

How about seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who moved this season from Mercedes and is looking for his first victory for Ferrari. He won the sprint two weekends ago in Shanghai. In Sunday's main race in China, he and teammate Charles Leclerc were disqualified for technical infringements.

And back to the cherry blossoms in Japan — the season typically lasts for only about two weeks, from the initial blooms to its splendorous peak. A sellout crowd of about 115,000 on Sunday at Suzuka — the Honda-operated track in central Japan — will be following every lap of Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda. Tsunoda was promoted to Red Bull last week from Racing Bulls, its feeder team.

A Japanese driver has never won an F1 race.

“For him, for a Japanese driver to drive for one of the top teams — it's never happened before,” said Japanese Ayao Komatsu, the team principal of Haas. “That a huge story.”

McLaren has been much better than everyone else in the first two races. Norris won in Australia and Piastri in China. Norris has 44 points to lead the driver standings followed Verstappen with 36, George Russell of Mercedes with 35, and Piastri on 34.

“We know realistically the McLarens are exceptionally strong, and I think it’s going to be challenging for anybody else to compete with them,” Russell said. “But you know, we saw last year how dominant Red Bull were, and suddenly they weren’t at the end of the season.”

Ditto Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.

“Our performance compared to McLaren is just not good enough,” Leclerc said.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton has won five times in Japan, but not since 2018. Foremost on Ferrari's mind is having Hamilton and Leclerc disqualified in China for those technical infringements.

“It’s been a very difficult first part of the season,” Hamilton's teammate Leclerc said on Thursday. “The first two races were difficult, the pace was not where we expected it to be, and to lose even more points than we already did with that, it hurts the team a lot."

'I’m confident because whenever you make mistakes, you learn from them, especially when they cost that much," he added.

Hamilton has nine points. He was 10th in Australia after his win in the Shanghai sprint.

The phrase, roughly translated from Japanese into English, means “Tsunoda, go for it!"

Expect almost all of the 115,000 sellout crowd on Sunday to be wildly supporting Tsunoda. Having Tsunoda promoted from Racing Bulls to Red Bull — the feeder team to the No. 1 team — gives Japanese fans hope.

Almost 20 Japanese drivers have participated in F1 and none has won a race. Three have reached the podium with third-place finishes — Aguri Suzuki in 1990 and Kamui Kobayahi in 2012, both at the Japanese GP, and Takuma Sato in 2004 in the United States GP.

Sato also won two Indianapolis 500s.

Tsunoda may have the best chance of a victory of any Japanese driver. He's driving one of F1's best cars, and he's known for his speed.

“I think he (Tsunoda) always had the raw speed,” said Pierre Gasly, the Frenchman who drives for Alpine and is a former Red Bull driver. “He was a little bit too hectic behind the wheel at times, on the radio. I think in that sense he’s matured enough in minimizing the mistakes.”

The wild card on Sunday could be Verstappen — the Dutchman has won the last three races in Japan. Rain is in the forecast for Sunday, and Verstappen is F1's best driver in the rain. If that eventuates, look for No. 4 to be among the leaders in the wet.

McLaren produced the top times in Friday’s two practice sessions. Both were run under clear skies and sunshine ahead of the forecast rain for race day Sunday.

Norris was quickest in the first session, clocking 1 minute, 28.549 seconds. Teammate Piastri was fastest in the second in 1:28.114 with Norris just 0.049 behind. Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar had the third quickest time in the second session, just 0.404 behind Piastri.

Tsunoda had an encouraging performance, too, with the sixth best time — just one-tenth of a second slower than his teammate Verstappen.

The second session was stopped several times with cars going off the track. The frequent disruptions made it difficult to draw conclusions from the session — except that McLaren still appears to be the team to beat.

Australian driver Jack Doohan spun off the track just seven minutes into the second practice. The car shattered into pieces after hitting a tire wall. He walked away from the crash and told his Alpine team by radio: “I’m OK.”

AP Formula 1: https://apnews.com/hub/formula-one

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly of France steers his car during the second practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco steers his car during the second practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

The car of Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain is lift up after a crash during the second practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda of Japan steers his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia steers his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia steers his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda of Japan prepares to drive his car during the second practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda of Japan steers his car during the second practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain sits in his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda of Japan prepares to get out of his car's cockpit as he was checking it at the pits at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Thursday, April 3, 2025, ahead Sunday's Japanese Formula One Grand Prix race. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia steers his car during the second practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during the second practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car near the cherry blossom during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during the second practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia prepares to drive his car during the second practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Williams driver Carlos Sainz of Spain, right, and McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain, left, steer their cars during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

steers his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/)

steers his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/)

steers his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/)

steers his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/)

steers his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/)

steers his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/)

steers his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/)

steers his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/)

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia steers his car during the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix race at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia, McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain and Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain celebrates on the podium after the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix race at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo)

Williams drivers Carlos Sainz of Spain, center left, and Alexander Albon of Thailand, back right, meet Japanese children at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Thursday, April 3, 2025, ahead Sunday's Japanese Formula One Grand Prix race. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

A sparrow sits on a branch of a cherry tree at the Chidorigafuchi palace moat in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda of Japan responds to a journalist's question during a news conference at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Thursday, April 3, 2025, ahead Sunday's Japanese Formula One Grand Prix race. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda of Japan, center, flanked by Kick Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg of Germany, left, and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco, responds to a journalist's question during a news conference at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Thursday, April 3, 2025, ahead Sunday's Japanese Formula One Grand Prix race. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II announced Monday he is suspending his campaign for governor and instead joining the race for secretary of state of the battleground state.

Gilchrist, a progressive Democrat from Detroit, did not cite a specific reason for the change in his video announcement, but said he is not finished being a “public servant.” His departure clears up the Democratic primary and benefits the frontrunner, Jocelyn Benson, who is the current Secretary of State, in the race to replace term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The secretary of state is Michigan's top election official, a highly politicized and visible role since the 2020 presidential election.

“Michigan has been ground zero in the battle for free and fair elections before, and it will be again,” Gilchrist said.

As Whitmer’s second in command and her running mate in two elections, Gilchrist struggled to match Benson’s name recognition and fundraising. He reported having around $378,000 of cash on hand as of October compared to Benson’s $2.98 million.

Benson is now set to face only Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the Democratic primary in August.

The inclusion of a well-known independent candidate has created a new problem for Democrats this year. Former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is avoiding costly primaries altogether by running as an independent. The Michigan Democratic Party slammed the former Democrat last week for not standing up to President Donald Trump’s second term policies.

In the Republican primary, U.S. Rep. John James, former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, state Senate Leader Aaric Nesbitt and former Michigan House speaker Tom Leonard are jockeying for the nomination.

In his bid to become secretary of state, Gilchrist will face four other Democrats: Barb Byrum, Ingham County clerk; Aghogho Edevbie, deputy secretary of state; Suzanna Shkreli, a former Whitmer aide and commissioner of the Michigan State Lottery; and Adam Hollier, a former state senator from Detroit.

Michigan does not hold primary elections for the secretary of state position; the nominee is chosen by precinct delegates during party conventions. The Michigan Democratic Party convention is scheduled for April 19.

State Republicans plan to hold their nominating convention March 28 and GOP figures chasing the party's nomination for secretary of state include Anthony Forlini, Macomb County Clerk, and Monica Yatooma, an Oakland County executive.

In addition to the office of the governor and secretary of state, Michigan voters will be selecting a new state attorney general and a U.S. senator in November.

FILE - Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II waits before the State of the State address, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, at the state Capitol in Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis, file)