Round three of the 2026 Formula 1 season heads to the legendary Suzuka Circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix, live on Sky Sports F1. The figure-of-eight layout tests driver skill and car performance through famous sequences such as the Esses, the Degners, Spoon and 130R.
Form guide
Mercedes arrive after one-two finishes in the opening two rounds and will target a third successive win. Kimi Antonelli, F1’s newest race winner after his victory in China, will look to build momentum against championship-leading team-mate George Russell. Ferrari look the closest threat after finishing third and fourth so far this season, still chasing their first win since 2024 and a first Suzuka victory since 2004. Max Verstappen has been strong at Suzuka since 2022, but Red Bull have been off the early-season pace, while McLaren will hope to recover from a double DNS in Shanghai.
With the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds cancelled in April, the Japanese Grand Prix provides the final F1 action for five weeks. Follow live coverage on Sky Sports F1.
Suzuka Circuit
Suzuka is a 3.6-mile figure-of-eight track owned by Honda and has featured on the F1 calendar in all but four seasons since 1987. Long associated with title-deciding races, Suzuka now sits in an April slot (since 2024) and often coincides with Japan’s cherry blossom season.
Weather forecast
Rain frequently affects Suzuka weekends, but current forecasts show no wet weather for race weekend. Expect cool conditions with daytime temperatures in the high teens across the three days.
Japanese GP 2026 dates, UK start times and Sky Sports F1 live schedule (all times UK)
Thursday 26 March
– 04:00: Drivers’ Press Conference
– 07:00: Paddock Uncut
Friday 27 March
– 02:00: Japanese GP Practice One (session starts at 02:30)
– 04:30: Team Bosses’ Press Conference
– 05:45: Japanese GP Practice Two (session starts at 06:00)
– 07:15: The F1 Show
Saturday 28 March
– 02:15: Japanese GP Practice Three (session starts at 02:30)
– 05:00: Japanese GP Qualifying build-up
– 06:00: JAPANESE GP QUALIFYING
– 08:00: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday 29 March
– 04:30: Japanese GP build-up – Grand Prix Sunday
– 06:00: THE JAPANESE GRAND PRIX
– 08:00: Japanese GP reaction – Chequered Flag
– 09:00: Ted’s Notebook
Sessions listed above are also shown on Sky Sports Main Event where scheduled.
How to watch or stream the Japanese GP in the UK and Ireland
Got Sky?
– TV: Sky customers can watch on Sky Sports F1 from the first practice session on Friday morning through the race on Sunday, 29 March at 06:00.
– App: Sky customers can also watch via the Sky Sports app, including driver onboard feeds where available.
Not got Sky?
– Stream: Non-Sky customers can stream the action with a NOW Day pass or a cancel-anytime Month pass.
– Live blog: Follow the weekend with the dedicated F1 live blog for text updates and lap-by-lap coverage.
– Free highlights: Watch F1 highlights shortly after the chequered flag on the Sky Sports app.
How to watch the Japanese GP with the Sky Sports app
1. Download or open the Sky Sports app.
2. From about 04:30 on race day, go to the ‘Watch’ section for build-up ahead of the 06:00 race start.
3. Select Sky Sports F1 or Sky Sports Main Event.
4. Sign in with your Sky iD (one-time sign-in).
What is NOW?
NOW is a contract-free streaming service that gives instant access to all 12 Sky Sports channels, Sky Sports+ streams and more across 60+ devices. It offers Day and Month passes with the option to cancel at any time.
Summary
Formula 1 visits iconic Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix from 26–29 March 2026, with full live coverage on Sky Sports F1. If you don’t have Sky, stream the action via NOW or follow live text coverage and highlights through Sky Sports.