THE BIG PICTURE: Well, the fleeting hopes of last race quickly disappeared with another expected result. Kind of like the fleeting hopes of watching a total eclipse disappearing behind clouds.

EVENT: The first time the Japanese GP was ever run in the Spring. Sure, it rained on Friday, but the overall threat of mansoons are gone. And, the cherry blossoms are gorgeous.

TRACK: The track is tough enough. The tire eating surface compounds it.

QUALIFYING: Red Bull locks out the front row, a surprisingly rare feat for them lately, McLaren finally finds their expected speed at Suzuka, while Mercedes struggles worse than expected, Tsunoda is willed on by the home crowd, while Ricciardo continues to take a dump.

RACE: This is prime Red Bull track, so the results at the top are no surprise. But the action and strategy behind that kept your attention.

START 1: It looked oh so close to being another amazingly clean start ... until Turn 2. Ultimately, the slow getaway by the two RBs setup the situation where Albon went to the outside only for Ricciardo to move over on him.

START 2: This time it is extremely clean, Red Bull once again protects their front row start nicely, the soft tire runners make some moves, and the hard tire runners lose spots.

VERSTAPPEN: Another Sunday drive in the park.

PEREZ: Continues to feel more comfortable in the role he should have felt comfortable in last year.

RED BULL: All was quiet for them this week.

SAINZ: Sainz beat Leclerc. Sainz beat Hamilton. In the race and qualifying. And yet, Sainz is still the odd man out.

LECLERC: Nice tribute helmet to his godfather, Jules Bianchi.

PIASTRI: As calm as they get on the radio.

MCLAREN: They were expected to be quick on this track. They weren't expected to be handicapped by tire degradation.

ALONSO: Fernando squeezing out every point he can.

STROLL: While Lance isn't squeezing anything out.

ASTON MARTIN: Looks like they are going to hold on to Alsonso.

MERCEDES: This was supposed to be a cooler Japanese GP with the date changed. Which would have been a big help to Mercedes. Instead, it got considerably warmer on Sunday, and Mercedes was back to struggling mode.

WILLIAMS: Would they really accept Mercedes' offer to replace Sargeant with Antonelli by Monza (when Andrea turns 18 five days prior)?

SARGEANT: Speaking of Logan, there is really no way out of this for him.

ALBON: What a lousy two events for Alexander.

TSUNODA: Yuki finally got his point on home ground.

RICCIARDO: Daniel will get his new chassis in China. The excuses stop now. Deliver or he's done by Miami.

SAUBER: Decent pit stops. Slow by F1 standards. Lightning fast by Sauber standards.

WORD OF THE WEEKEND: Cherry Blossoms.

STAT OF THE WEEKEND: 4 -- The first time an F1 season started out with four 1-2 team finishes. Ferrari did it last event, and Red Bull did it the other three.

HISTORICAL STAT OF THE WEEKEND: It's been 12 years since a Japanese driver scored points at his home GP. That was Kamui Kobayashi who finished third, his only podium, in a Sauber in 2012. (He also took sixth in 2010.) Though his F1 career did not take off, Kobayashi had a steller sportscar career, including a Le Mans win and two-time WEC champion, and now serves as Team Principle for Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe. All told, five home drivers scored points in Japan with Aguri Suzuki (Lola-Lamborghini) getting the only other podium, third in 1990.

TWEET OF THE WEEKEND: @F1_Newsletter: Daniel Ricciardo spins again and TV director then switching to his replacement – Liam Lawson.

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: Martin Brundle referring to one of the Sauber driver's pit stops, "He's in danger of getting a parking ticket the next time he comes in."

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND RUNNERUP: Damon Hill referring to Red Bull, "The team is run by the Verstappen family."

SCHEDULE: Finally going back to China. And Zhou Guanyu finally gets to experience a home race.

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