The pair have won one Sunday race each but Russell, winner of the season-opener in Australia and the Saturday sprint in China, leads his Chinese Grand Prix-winning teammate by four points.
Mercedes last kicked off with a hat-trick of wins in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic-hit season in which Austria's Red Bull Ring hosted the first two races.
The last time they started with three one-two finishes was in 2019.
Having made a similarly dominant start to the sport's new era this season, including locking out the front row in every qualifying session, they could tick off both milestones on Sunday.
"We have made a positive start to the season but it is only that," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. "We know that the moment you think you've got this sport figured out, you are usually proven wrong."
Ferrari chasing first win at Suzuka since 2004
Despite Wolff's caution, either Russell or Antonelli should be celebrating a first win at Suzuka, a 5.8-km figure-of-eight layout widely hailed as a drivers' track that hosts the 40th running of the Japanese round.
Ferrari, who last won at Suzuka in 2004 and have been second-best to Mercedes in the opening two races, will hope to rise to the challenge.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, thanks to their fast starts and intra-team duels, have served up plenty of wheel-to-wheel entertainment.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton, in particular, has shown plenty of fight and ended his podium drought in China with a third-place finish. A four-time Suzuka winner, the Briton will be hoping that run continues.
Circuit owners Honda will be hoping for a happier homecoming as power unit suppliers to Aston Martin after a dismal start to their year.
Neither Fernando Alonso nor Lance Stroll have finished the opening two races, with vibrations from the Japanese manufacturer's power unit severely limiting running.
Just getting to the chequered flag would be big progress for the Japanese manufacturer that powered Max Verstappen to four successive wins on the circuit from 2022 to 2025 when they were partners to Red Bull.
The four-time world champion, who now has a Ford-badged Red Bull power unit in his car, will also be looking to bounce back after retiring in China.
"Heading into Suzuka, this is one of my favourite tracks to race at with lots of high-speed corners," said Verstappen. "There is a lot of history at this circuit for the team and it is one I always look forward to coming back to."
McLaren will be hoping for a strong showing after reigning champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were unable to start in China.
Australian Piastri will be especially keen to get a full race distance under his belt, having only completed the China sprint so far after also crashing out on a reconnaissance lap ahead of his home race in Melbourne.
Haas could provide some cheer for the Japanese fans.
The US-owned team have Toyota's motorsports division as their title sponsors and are led by Japanese team principal Ayao Komatsu.
The team, running a special Godzilla-themed livery from this weekend, are an impressive fourth in the constructors' standings with the team's British racer Oliver Bearman fifth in the drivers' battle.
The Japanese Grand Prix will be the last race until the Miami Grand Prix on May 3 with April's Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds cancelled due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.