F1 Japanese Grand Prix – Start time, starting grid, how to watch, & more
The Red Bull driver tentatively secured his fifth F1 pole of the season by beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.01s in the final stages of qualifying, but had to face FIA stewards after an incident involving Lando Norris .
Verstappen, who was slowly preparing for his first Q3 lap, almost collided with Norris driving behind him and had to go onto the turf. The stewards reprimanded the Dutchman but allowed him to keep the pole.
That means Verstappen is in prime position to claim his second F1 world title this weekend, knowing that victory and fastest lap will win the championship.
With Leclerc in second, he edged out Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz to third while title contender Sergio Perez qualified fourth.
Verstappen holds a 104-point lead over Leclerc at the top of the F1 standings with five races to go, while Red Bull team-mate Perez remains 106 points adrift of the Dutch driver after his win in Singapore.
In short, Verstappen needs to be 112 points clear at the end of the Japanese GP to clinch the title with four races to go. Therefore, Verstappen needs to beat Leclerc by eight points and Perez by six to clinch the title in Japan.
Here’s how Verstappen can seal the F1 World Championship title at the Japanese GP:
- When Verstappen wins and drives the fastest lap, he is master
- When Verstappen wins without the fastest lap and Leclerc gets lower than second
- When Verstappen finishes secondLeclerc will be fifth without the fastest lap or sixth with the fastest lap or lower, Perez will be fifth or lower
- When Verstappen finishes third with the fastest lapLeclerc will be sixth or lower and Perez fifth or lower
- When Verstappen finishes third without the fastest lapLeclerc will be seventh or lower and Perez fifth or lower
- When Verstappen finishes fourthLeclerc finishes eighth or lower, or Perez finishes seventh without the fastest lap or lower
- When Verstappen finishes fifthLeclerc will be ninth or lower and Perez eighth or lower
- When Verstappen finishes sixthLeclerc is 11th or lower and Perez is ninth or lower
For any alternative outcomes that don’t fit into these numerous scenarios, the title fight moves on to the United States GP.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, congratulates Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, on pole position
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
When is the Japanese F1 Grand Prix?
Date: Sunday 9 October 2022
Start time: 6:00am BST, 2:00pm local time
The 18th round of the 2022 F1 season, the Japanese GP at Suzuka, begins on Sunday 9 October at 14:00 local time (6:00 BST).
How can I watch Formula 1?
In the UK, Formula 1 will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with highlights shown on Channel 4 several hours after the end of the race. Live streaming via NOW is also available in the UK.
Sky Sports F1, which broadcasts F1 races, can be added as part of the Sky Sports channels at a cost of £20 a month for new customers. Sky Sports can also be accessed through NOW with a one-off daily payment of £11.98 or a monthly membership of £33.99 per month.
How can I watch the Japanese F1 GP?
In the UK, Sky Sports will broadcast the Japanese GP live, with the race shown live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event. Pre-race coverage begins at 4:30am ahead of the race start at 6:00am BST.
• Channels: Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event
• Start Time: 4:30am BST, Sunday 9 October 2022
Autosport will broadcast live text coverage of the Japanese GP here.
Alex Albon, Williams FW44
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
When can I watch the Japanese GP F1 highlights?
In the UK, Channel 4 will broadcast highlights from the Japanese GP on Sunday at 12:30pm BST. Running for two and a half hours, the full program includes the pre-race, race highlights and initial post-race reactions to round out the key talking points of the race weekend.
Throughout the 2022 F1 season, Channel 4 will broadcast highlights of every qualifying session and race of every event. The highlights will also be available on Channel 4’s on-demand services.
· Channel: Channel 4
Start time: 12:30pm BST, Sunday 9th October 2022
Will the F1 Japan GP be on the radio?
Live radio coverage of every practice session, qualifying session and race for the 2022 F1 season will be available on BBC Radio 5 Live, 5 Live Sports Extra stations, the BBC Sounds app and via the BBC Sport website.
The Japanese GP will be broadcast live at 6am BST on BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sounds app.
Weather forecast for the Japanese F1 GP
Current weather forecasts predict mixed conditions at Suzuka, with a good chance of rain during the race. The temperature is expected to be 20 degrees Celsius at the start of the race, seven degrees colder than last time’s Singapore GP.
How many laps is the F1 Japan GP?
The race is scheduled to complete 53 laps at Suzuka and cover a total race distance of 307.471km.