Guide to the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix as F1 heads to Suzuka for the third round of the season.
Mercedes come into this weekend sat comfortably atop of the constructors’ standings, whilst George Russell heads Andrea Kimi Antonelli as the Mercedes’ drivers look set to continue their strong early-season form.
Ferrari however will look to close the gap as they seek to challenge the Silver Arrows after a fortnight’s gap following the opening double-header, as they seek to maximise their data analysis and make a step forward in their hunt for a first win since the 2025 Chinese Sprint.
Other teams meanwhile look to enjoy a more solid weekend as everyone continues to adapt to the new regulations.
Now, here is a guide to everything that you must know ahead of the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix.
Track Guide
Circuit: Suzuka International Circuit
Laps: 53
Race Distance: 305.573km
Tyre Compounds: C1, C2 & C3
Schedule
| Date | Session | Time* |
| Friday 27 March | FP1 | 2:30am |
| Friday 27 March | FP2 | 6:00am |
| Saturday 28 March | FP3 | 2:30am |
| Saturday 28 March | Qualifying | 6:00am |
| Sunday 29 March | Race | 6:00am** |
* Sessions timings on 27 and 28 March are in GMT hours.
** UK clocks move forward one hour to BST hours at 2am on 29 March.
Four Key Pointers
- Having had a week off following the Chinese GP, this round will mark the first opportunity for some teams to bring upgrades to a race weekend this season.
- Extensive resurfacing has been conducted in the off-season across the circuit so teams will initially face a challenge in terms of understanding how the resurfacing impact their tyres in terms of wear and management.
- With cool temperatures forecast for the weekend, teams will need to learn how to quickly get the tyres into the correct working range.
- Ferrari will be hoping that they are more competitive for victory after having almost two weeks to analyse their data and make necessary tweaks.
Last Time Out
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen snatched an unlikely pole position by 0.012 seconds from McLaren’s Lando Norris around Suzuka in 2025, and proceeded to dominate from lights to flag to take an unexpected victory ahead of the Brit.
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