UPCOMING
FP1 2:30 27/03
Japanese Grand Prix
Schedule
Time displayed in your local timezone
Free Practice 1
FRIDAY, 2:30 AM, 27 MAR, 2026
Free Practice 2
FRIDAY, 6:00 AM, 27 MAR, 2026
Free Practice 3
SATURDAY, 2:30 AM, 28 MAR, 2026
Qualifying
SATURDAY, 6:00 AM, 28 MAR, 2026
Race
SUNDAY, 5:00 AM, 29 MAR, 2026
The Suzuka International Racing Course is a favourite among drivers and fans alike for its figure-eight layout and challenging corners.
Located in Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan, this circuit has ‘only’ been part of the Formula 1 calendar since 1987, despite it feeling like one of the sport's revered lifelong tracks.
Suzuka offers little margin for error and has been the scene of dramatic races and championship-deciding moments, making it a quintessential part of the Formula 1 World Championship.
Circuit Overview:
Suzuka stretches over 5.807 km (3.608 miles) with 18 turns, and it all starts with the flowing, intricate 'S' curves that challenge the car's aerodynamics and the driver's precision.
The figure-of-eight layout features a crossover bridge that the second sector races underneath en route to the track's slowest point at a tight left-hand hairpin.
The final sector includes the breathtaking and flat-out 130R as the circuit snakes back over itself before the Casio Triangle chicane offers late-braking overtaking ahead of the sprint to the finish line.
Fast Facts
Circuit Name: Suzuka International Racing Course
Location: Suzuka
First Grand Prix: 1987 (first Japanese GP: 1976, Fuji)
Circuit Length: 5.807 km (3.608 miles)
Race Distance: 307.471 km (191.054 miles)
Laps: 53
Lap Record: 1:30.965 (Kimi Antonelli, 2025)
Alex Albon Last Year
Race: P9
Fastest Lap: 1:31.125 (Lap 52)
Qualifying: P9 (1:27.615)
Tyre Strategy: Medium-Soft
Carlos Sainz Last Year
Race: P14
Fastest Lap: 1:31.106 (Lap 36)
Qualifying: P12 (1:27.836)
Tyre Strategy:
Medium-Hard
Williams’ Japanese GP History
Best Finish: P1 (Riccardo Patrese, 1992 / Damon Hill, 1994 & 1996)
Best Qualifying: P1 (Nigel Mansell, 1992 / Alain Prost, 1993 / Jacques Villeneuve, 1996 & 1997)
Alex's Best Finish: P4 (2019)
Carlos' Best Finish: P3 (2024)
Williams Highlight: Damon and Jacques locked out the front row in 1996 ahead of the championship-deciding race, which Damon won to famously cause Murray Walker to get a lump in his throat.
Japan at a glance
Capital: Tokyo
Population: 126 million
Size: 377,975 sq km
Language: Japanese
Currency: Japanese Yen (JPY)
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