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The 2026 Formula 1 season pauses at the famous Suzuka Circuit for the japanese grand Prix across Mar 27–29, and momentum sits firmly with Mercedes. After back-to-back 1–2 finishes in Australia and China and a victory in the Shanghai sprint, the Silver Arrows head to Japan with a perfect record and plenty of expectation. This stop is notable as the last event before the Miami race in May, following the cancellation of the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain grands prix because of the Middle Eastern conflict. Fans watching the points battle should also note the early-season gaps: while Ferrari chases hard, Aston Martin and Cadillac are still seeking their first points.
How to watch the Japanese Grand Prix
Viewers in the United Kingdom will find full live coverage on Sky Sports, which continues to carry every session of the 2026 championship; streams are available via the Sky Go app and NOW TV. Channel 4 will provide free-to-air highlights of both qualifying and the race. In the United States, Apple TV holds the exclusive rights under a five-year arrangement reported to be worth roughly $140m per year, replacing ESPN. For online race-day play-by-play and session-by-session reporting, Motorsport.com will offer live commentary from the first practice through to the chequered flag, making it straightforward to follow the action even if you don’t have a broadcaster feed.
Weekend timetable and key sessions
The Suzuka programme runs with local timings that are convenient for the region; remember the circuit operates nine hours ahead of UTC. The organised sessions are: FP1 on Mar 27 at 11:30, followed by FP2 on Mar 27 at 15:00. The weekend continues on Mar 28 with FP3 at 11:30 and qualifying at 15:00, and the main event, the race, is scheduled for Mar 29 at 14:00. Teams will use the practice sessions to refine setups for the figure-of-eight layout, and qualifying at 15:00 local time will determine the grid for the 53-lap feature at Suzuka. All session times are local and are critical for planning viewing or track attendance.
Weather outlook for Suzuka
Practice and qualifying forecast
The short-term forecast expects mostly dry conditions through the practice days. For Mar 27, when FP1 begins at 11:30, air temperatures are predicted to be near 15C, rising toward 17C for FP2 at 15:00; chance of rain is reported as minimal and humidity might drop from roughly 58% in the morning to 48% later in the day. Mar 28’s FP3 is forecast around 15C at 11:30 and qualifying at 15:00 should see similar conditions with temperatures near 17C and humidity about 54%. Teams will likely expect stable track temperatures, which helps tyre selection and aerodynamic balance during the crucial setup runs.
Race-day outlook
Suzuka has a history of sudden downpours—most memorably in 2026—yet since the move to an earlier calendar slot from 2026, prolonged wet races have been less common. Current forecasts for Mar 29’s 14:00 start predict mostly dry conditions with sunny intervals and temperatures around 19C, according to public weather services. That projected stability should favour straightforward strategic calls, but teams will still prepare contingency plans for sudden showers, given Suzuka’s reputation for quick-changing conditions. Broadcasters and live coverage outlets will of course update their audiences if the forecast shifts closer to the weekend.
Championship picture and what to watch
Early-season standings underline Mercedes‘s advantage in the constructors’ standings, where they sit on 98 points. Ferrari sits second with 67 points, followed by McLaren on 18 and Haas on 17. Red Bull and the team listed as Racing Bulls each have 12 points, Alpine 10, Audi 2 and Williams 2, while Cadillac and Aston Martin remain on zero. At Suzuka, expectation centers on whether Mercedes can convert pace into another dominant weekend, or if Ferrari or other rivals can close the gap. Attention will also focus on strategy in changing conditions and qualifying performance, which often dictates the race outcome on this technical, flowing circuit.