Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel is expecting to see Mercedes return to the top of the pecking order in Japan after the team's bizarre loss of pace at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Mercedes struggled on the Singapore street circuit as it struggled to get the most out of Pirelli's softest compound tyres. Vettel took full advantage to claim pole position and his third victory of the 2015 season while Lewis Hamilton retired and Nico Rosberg finished fourth.
Suzuka is a very different track to Singapore and Vettel thinks that will bring Mercedes back to its old position.
"Well, it's a completely different track here," Vettel said on the possibility of a repeat in Japan. "We'd hope so, but you have to remain realistic. I think in a way it was a big surprise to see Mercedes struggling, which I don't expect to be the case here. Again it would be a big surprise, but if the chance is there we have to go for it. The nature of the track is completely different here so we're going to have to wait. The weather could bring a lot of surprises as well so it's going to be a tough weekend."
Vettel thinks Singapore was further proof that Ferrari's 2015 challenger is strong at any type of circuit, something which gives him optimism for at competitive showing this weekend.
"Looking at the results this year we've had a great car at every track, on every nature of circuit, street circuits like Monaco and Singapore we've been competitive, other weekends like Malaysia. Silverstone was one of the weekends where we lost a little bit of that but then again you look at so many races in the same year and we weren't completely off the page. So we can be reasonably confident but then we have to remain realistic. I think we've learned along the way so hopefully that means we will be a bit stronger, but the favourites have to remain Mercedes."