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JAPAN 2026

MARCH 27 - 29

Bandeira Japão
Suzuka Circuit
Circuito de Suzuka

First Grand Prix

1987

Circuit Length

5.807 km

Lap Record

1:30.965

Kimi Antonelli (2025)

  • Sprint Qualifying

Number of Laps

53

Race Distance

307.771 km

Most wins

6

Michael Schumacher

  • Sprint Race

Schedule

  • Track time

27 MAR - 10:30 PM

Practice 1

27 MAR - 02:00 AM

Practice 2

28 MAR - 10:30 PM

Practice 3

28 MAR - 02:00 AM

Qualifying

29 MAR - 01:00 AM

Race

Winners

  • Last 5 winners

2026

Kimi Antonelli

Mercedes

2025

Max Verstappen

Red Bull

2024

Max Verstappen

Red Bull

2023

Max Verstappen

Red Bull

2022

Max Verstappen

Red Bull

Race Results

POS NUM DRIVER TEAM TIME GAP LAPS
1 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:31.666 – 27
2 12 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.026s +0.026s 26
3 1 Lando Norris McLaren +0.132s +0.132s 20
4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.199s +0.199s 23
5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.289s +0.289s 25
6 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.374s +0.374s 23
7 3 Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.791s +0.791s 27
8 30 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +0.863s +0.863s 27
9 31 Esteban Ocon Haas +0.935s +0.935s 23
10 41 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +0.999s +0.999s 29
11 5 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi +1.093s +1.093s 27
12 27 Nico Hulkenberg Audi +1.132s +1.132s 26
13 6 Isack Hadjar Red Bull +1.137s +1.137s 27
14 87 Oliver Bearman Haas +1.234s +1.234s 27
15 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.312s +1.312s 25
16 43 Franco Colapinto Alpine +1.695s +1.695s 24
17 55 Carlos Sainz Williams +1.717s +1.717s 26
18 23 Alexander Albon Williams +2.031s +2.031s 22
19 11 Sergio Perez Cadillac +2.555s +2.555s 18
20 77 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac +2.824s +2.824s 24
21 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +3.628s +3.628s 22
22 34 Jak Crawford Aston Martin +4.696s +4.696s 11

Race Results

P N DRIVER TEAM TIME GAP LAPS
1 63 Russell Mercedes 1:31.666 – 27
2 12 Antonelli Mercedes +0.026s +0.026s 26
3 1 Norris McLaren +0.132s +0.132s 20
4 81 Piastri McLaren +0.199s +0.199s 23
5 16 Leclerc Ferrari +0.289s +0.289s 25
6 44 Hamilton Ferrari +0.374s +0.374s 23
7 3 Verstappen Red Bull +0.791s +0.791s 27
8 30 Lawson Racing Bulls +0.863s +0.863s 27
9 31 Ocon Haas +0.935s +0.935s 23
10 41 Lindblad Racing Bulls +0.999s +0.999s 29
11 5 Bortoleto Audi +1.093s +1.093s 27
12 27 Hulkenberg Audi +1.132s +1.132s 26
13 6 Hadjar Red Bull +1.137s +1.137s 27
14 87 Bearman Haas +1.234s +1.234s 27
15 10 Gasly Alpine +1.312s +1.312s 25
16 43 Colapinto Alpine +1.695s +1.695s 24
17 55 Sainz Williams +1.717s +1.717s 26
18 23 Albon Williams +2.031s +2.031s 22
19 11 Perez Cadillac +2.555s +2.555s 18
20 77 Bottas Cadillac +2.824s +2.824s 24
21 18 Stroll Aston Martin +3.628s +3.628s 22
22 34 Crawford Aston Martin +4.696s +4.696s 11

Race Results

POS DRV TIME GAP LAPS
1 RUS 1:31.666 – 27
2 ANT +0.026s +0.026s 26
3 NOR +0.132s +0.132s 20
4 PIA +0.199s +0.199s 23
5 LEC +0.289s +0.289s 25
6 HAM +0.374s +0.374s 23
7 VER +0.791s +0.791s 27
8 LAW +0.863s +0.863s 27
9 OCO +0.935s +0.935s 23
10 LIN +0.999s +0.999s 29
11 BOR +1.093s +1.093s 27
12 HUL +1.132s +1.132s 26
13 HAD +1.137s +1.137s 27
14 BEA +1.234s +1.234s 27
15 GAS +1.312s +1.312s 25
16 COL +1.695s +1.695s 24
17 SAI +1.717s +1.717s 26
18 ALB +2.031s +2.031s 22
19 PER +2.555s +2.555s 18
20 BOT +2.824s +2.824s 24
21 STR +3.628s +3.628s 22
22 CRA +4.696s +4.696s 11

Score Ratings

Oscar Piastri

9.0

After a chaotic and frustrating start to the season, he finally delivered a clean, controlled and highly competitive weekend in Suzuka. Showed strong pace from the outset and was one of the most consistent drivers across qualifying and race conditions. Made an excellent start and managed his stint with confidence and precision under pressure. The Safety Car denied him a realistic shot at victory, but it was still one of the standout performances of the weekend.

Pierre Gasly

8.9

Continues to establish himself as one of the standout performers in the midfield this season. Delivered an excellent qualifying lap and maintained strong and consistent race pace throughout the entire event. Defended superbly against Verstappen under constant pressure until the final lap without making mistakes. Extracts the absolute maximum from the Alpine package and confirms his outstanding current form.

Kimi Antonelli

8.6

Arrived in Japan riding high from his breakthrough win in China and immediately confirmed his confidence with pole position and consistently strong pace across all sessions. Despite a poor start that cost him several positions early on, he showed maturity and composure to recover effectively during the race. The victory was clearly influenced by the Safety Car, which reshaped the strategic picture in his favor. Still, he executed everything required with precision and continues to look like a genuine title contender.

Charles Leclerc

8.2

Another composed and consistent performance despite the clear limitations of the Ferrari package this weekend. Made a strong and decisive start, positioning himself well for the race ahead. Remained competitive in multiple on-track battles and once again finished ahead of Hamilton. Managed pressure effectively in the closing stages and secured another valuable podium result through precision and control.

Liam Lawson

7.3

Had a relatively quiet weekend without delivering a standout performance in Suzuka overall. Lost ground during qualifying and struggled to impose himself consistently during the race stints. Benefited from the Safety Car timing to gain positions and move into the points. Still, he maintains a level of consistency, even without producing particularly eye-catching results so far this season.

Lando Norris

7.2

Experienced a challenging weekend affected by technical issues from the early sessions in Suzuka. Despite limited preparation, still secured a respectable grid position under the circumstances. Delivered a consistent race focused on damage limitation and points retention. However, lacked the outright pace to challenge the front runners or match his teammate’s stronger performance.

Esteban Ocon

7.0

Responded positively after a pressured start to the season within the Haas team environment. Managed to take the car into Q2 and showed solid, consistent pace throughout the Suzuka weekend. Made the most of race opportunities and strategic moments to secure valuable points. A strong and relevant performance considering the limitations of the current package.

Arvid Lindblad

6.9

Impressed with a strong qualifying performance to reach Q3 and showed confidence early in the race. Maintained competitiveness during the opening laps and handled pressure from behind effectively. However, his race was heavily compromised by the timing of the Safety Car intervention. Missed a clear opportunity to convert a promising weekend into a valuable points finish.

George Russell

6.8

Endured a frustrating and inconsistent weekend, with issues beginning in qualifying and continuing into the race. Struggled to find stable pace and was unable to recover positions effectively during key moments. The Safety Car timing worked against him, but his response lacked conviction and aggression. Ultimately fell short of expectations, especially considering his strong form in earlier rounds.

Lewis Hamilton

6.7

Was unable to replicate the strong performance shown in the previous round. Struggled to find balance and confidence with the Ferrari throughout the weekend sessions. Finished behind Leclerc and lacked the pace to fight for higher positions consistently. Still contributed to some engaging on-track battles, but overall performance remained below expectations.

Fernando Alonso

6.6

Aston Martin continues to face significant challenges during this difficult phase of the season. Completed the race without major errors but lacked any competitive pace to move forward. Spent the entire race outside meaningful battles and without strategic opportunities to gain positions. A modest result that accurately reflects the team’s current limitations.

Sergio Perez

6.5

Delivered an inconsistent but still relatively competitive weekend under the circumstances in Suzuka. Managed to outperform his teammate and show moments of improvement during key phases of the race. Continued to deal with technical limitations that affected overall performance levels. A reasonable result considering the broader context of the team’s current struggles.

Max Verstappen

6.4

Continues to face difficulties with the overall performance of the current Red Bull package this season. Found it hard to make progress through the field and lacked overtaking opportunities. Spent much of the race stuck behind Gasly without a clear way forward. Was unable to extract more from the car, highlighting ongoing adaptation challenges.

Nico Hulkenberg

6.3

Delivered a performance aligned with Audi’s current competitive limitations throughout the weekend. A mistake in qualifying compromised his track position early in the sessions. Race strategy also did not favor him, further limiting his chances of progression. Still managed to extract the best possible result from the available machinery.

Carlos Sainz

6.0

Continues to deliver consistent performances within the clear limitations of the Williams package this season. Maintains a clean and disciplined driving approach without significant errors. However, the car restricts any realistic ambitions for stronger results or points finishes. Still manages to extract the maximum possible from the equipment available each weekend.

Gabriel Bortoleto

5.9

Displayed strong qualifying speed but compromised his race with a poor and costly start off the line. Attempted to recover positions with a measured and disciplined approach during the race. However, performance dropped off in the final stages, limiting further progress. Continues to experience an inconsistent trajectory in his debut season.

Isack Hadjar

5.8

Shows encouraging signs of development compared to previous drivers in the same seat this season. Produced a solid qualifying performance and looked competitive in the early stages of the race. However, gradually lost pace and struggled to maintain position under pressure. Remains constrained by the car’s overall performance and lack of consistency.

Valtteri Bottas

5.0

Attempted an alternative strategic approach that ultimately did not yield positive results during the race. Lacked the necessary pace to compensate for that decision over a full stint. Was outperformed by his teammate across the weekend sessions. A quiet and largely ineffective performance without significant overall impact.

Alexander Albon

4.8

Spent the weekend largely outside competitive contention throughout the Suzuka event. Focus appeared to be more aligned with testing objectives rather than outright race performance. Lacked the pace required to challenge for positions during the race. Reflects the broader difficulties currently faced by the team this season.

Oliver Bearman

4.7

Endured a very challenging weekend beginning with difficulties in qualifying sessions. Lacked pace and consistency throughout both sessions and race conditions. Suffered a heavy crash during the race, although not directly responsible for the incident. The key takeaway is that he walked away safely and can now focus on recovery and future races.

Lance Stroll

4.5

Another extremely difficult weekend in what has been a challenging season so far for the driver. Started from the back and failed to make meaningful progress during the race distance. Eventually retired due to ongoing technical issues and lack of competitiveness. Continues to struggle without any clear signs of improvement in performance.

Franco Colapinto

4.1

Had a more difficult weekend after showing stronger potential in the previous round. Struggled to adapt to the car’s behavior and balance throughout the Suzuka sessions. Was indirectly involved in a critical race moment that impacted overall race dynamics. Lacked consistent pace and confidence across the full race distance.