Mercedes arrives at Suzuka this weekend with a flawless record to defend, carrying momentum from dominant performances at rounds one and two of the 2026 campaign. The Silver Arrows finished 1-2 in both the Australian and Chinese grands prix, then claimed victory in the Shanghai sprint. Ferrari remains the nearest challenger, though still trailing by a considerable margin in the constructors’ standings.
The Japanese Grand Prix marks round three and represents the final race before the Miami event in May, as the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain grands prix have been cancelled due to the Middle Eastern conflict. Teams and drivers face a critical opportunity to earn points at Suzuka, with Aston Martin and Cadillac desperately seeking to open their point-scoring accounts.
Where to Watch the F1 Japanese GP
In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports continues its 14th year broadcasting Formula 1, covering every session of the 2026 season. Viewers can stream via Sky Go or NOW TV, while Channel 4 offers highlights of qualifying and the race on freeview.
The broadcast landscape shifted for 2026 in the United States. Apple TV replaced ESPN as the exclusive F1 broadcaster under a five-year agreement valued at approximately $140 million annually.
Live session-by-session commentary is available through Motorsport.com, covering all action from FP1 through Sunday’s race.
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Japanese GP Session Times
| Free Practice 1 | Friday, March 26 at 22:30 UTC / 11:30 JST |
| Free Practice 2 | Friday, March 27 at 02:00 UTC / 15:00 JST |
| Free Practice 3 | Saturday, March 27 at 22:30 UTC / 11:30 JST |
| Qualifying | Saturday, March 28 at 02:00 UTC / 15:00 JST |
| Race | Sunday, March 29 at 01:00 UTC / 14:00 JST |
Weather Forecast
Friday, March 27 will bring dry, sunny conditions with virtually zero precipitation risk. Air temperature at FP1’s 11:30 local start is forecast at 15°C, climbing to 17°C by FP2. Humidity runs high at 58% during opening practice, dropping to 48% before the second session.
Saturday maintains the pattern with clear skies throughout. FP3 begins at 11:30 with 15°C conditions, warming to 17°C by qualifying at 3pm. Humidity levels stabilise around 54%.
Sunday’s race starts at 2pm under dry, sunny intervals with temperatures reaching approximately 19°C. While Suzuka historically produces extreme wet conditions—as seen in 2022—the calendar shift to earlier in the year has minimised rain incidents since 2024. Forecasts predict a continuation of that dry trend.
2026 Championship Standings
Constructors’ Standings:
- 1. Mercedes — 98 points
- 2. Ferrari — 67 points
- 3. McLaren — 18 points
- 4. Haas — 17 points
- 5. Red Bull — 12 points
- 6. Racing Bulls — 12 points
- 7. Alpine — 10 points
- 8. Audi — 2 points
- 9. Williams — 2 points
- 10. Cadillac — 0 points
- 11. Aston Martin — 0 points
Follow all live coverage and analysis on TipsGG and as the 2026 season reaches its crucial third round.