The 2024 Formula One season continues with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka and Red Bull and Max Verstappen have returned to strong from after a disappointing weekend in Australia by locking out the front row.
Verstappen, who won comfortably in 2023 (by 20 seconds from Lando Norris) looks on course to repeat his victory, though he was pushed all the way by Sergio Perez. The Mexican, who rarely gets within a tenth of a second of Verstappen, only missed out on pole by 0.067sec with Norris’s McLaren in third, just about three-tenths behind.
Mercedes looked to find pace at Suzuka this weekend but in the final reckoning in qualifying slipped back, with George Russell qualifying in ninth and Lewis Hamilton in seventh.
What time do practice, qualifying and the race start?
Friday April 5
First practice: 3.30-4.30am BST
Second practice: 7-8am
Saturday April 6
Third practice: 3.30-4.30am
Qualifying: 7am
Sunday April 7
Japanese Grand Prix 2024: 6am
What is the latest news?
Hamilton upbeat about Mercedes W15
Lewis Hamilton may have only managed to qualify seventh for the Japanese Grand Prix but he insists his Mercedes has not felt better in three years.
The seven-time world champion will start from the fourth row at Suzuka, with team-mate George Russell in ninth.
While from the outside that would suggest Mercedes once again struggled with an underperforming car – like much of the past two years – Hamilton was in good spirits following Saturday’s qualifying.
Having lamented the gap to pole-sitter Max Verstappen over the team radio during the session, he had a more positive outlook in the aftermath.
“The car has been much nicer to drive this weekend… this is the nicest it has felt in three years,” he said.
“I think we did a really good job over the last week, just the analysis we’ve done at the factory to get the car into a sweet spot.
“This weekend it’s much more in the sweet spot and so I hope that continues in the following races. Then we’ve just got to add performance.
“I think we’ve got the car into a much nicer working window and so it’s been really enjoyable driving, it’s just the guys are just a little bit faster.”
PA Sports
What were the times after qualifying?
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Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1min 28.197secs
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Sergio Perez (Mex) Red Bull 1:28.263
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Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:28.489
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Carlos Sainz Jr. (Spa) Ferrari 1:28.682
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Fernando Alonso (Spa) Aston Martin 1:28.686
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Oscar Piastri (Aus) McLaren 1:28.760
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Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:28.766
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Charles Leclerc (My) Ferrari 1:28.786
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George Russell (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:29.008
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Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) RB 1:29.413
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Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) RB 1:29.472
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Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Haas F1 1:29.494
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Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Kick Sauber 1:29.593
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Alexander Albon (Tha) Williams 1:29.714
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Esteban Ocon (From) Alpine 1:29.816
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Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin 1:30.024
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Pierre Gasly (Fra) Alpine 1:30.119
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Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 1:30.131
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Logan Sargeant (USA) Williams 1:30.139
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Guanyu Zhou (Chn) Kick Sauber 1:30.143
Who won last year’s Japanese Grand Prix?
As with 18 other races out of the 22 from 2023, Max Verstappen was the winner at Suzuka. It was, however, a strong performance from a resurgent McLaren with Lando Norris in second and his Australian team-mate Oscar Piastri in third. Charles Leclerc took fourth for Ferrari with Lewis Hamilton in fifth for Mercedes after a battle with team-mate George Russell.
Japanese Grand Prix circuit length, distance and race distance
First Grand Prix: 1987
Number of laps: 53
Circuit length: 5.807km
Race distance: 307.471km
Race lap record: 1min30.983sec (Lewis Hamilton, 2019)
How to watch the Japanese Grand Prix on television and on streaming
As with the past few years, Sky Sports F1 have every single practice session, qualifying and race live this year.
If you do not want to take out a full sky subscription then you can get access to the 2024 F1 season through Now TV which has 12 Sky Sports channels for £26 a month and a six-month minimum term.
If you want to catch extended highlights then Channel 4 is your go-to broadcaster, with their qualifying program on Saturday and their race program on Sunday. You can also sign up to Now TV on a race-by-race or month-by-month basis.
If you are outside of the UK then you can likely subscribe to F1’s own F1TV, which you can do so with a monthly subscription.
What are the current standings?
What are the odds for the winner of the race?
Max Verstappen 1/7
Sergio Perez 6/1
Lando Norris 18/1
Carlos Sainz 20/1
Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri 50/1
Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso 66/1
George Russell 100/1
Who are the past winners of the Japanese Grand Prix?
Results since 2000
2023: Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2022: Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
2021/2020: Race not held
2019: Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
2018: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2017: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2016: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2015: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2014: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2013: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2012: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2011: Jenson Button, McLaren
2010: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2009: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2008: Fernando Alonso, Renault
2007: Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2006: Fernando Alonso, Renault
2005: Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren
2004: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
2003: Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari
2002: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
2001: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
2000: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
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