How to watch the 2022 Japanese GP: start time, TV schedule and live streams

Watch the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix live on TV or stream it: all the timings for this weekend's practice, qualifying and race sessions from Suzuka

Lewis-Hamilton-driving--for-Mercedes-at-2019-Japanese-GP

F1 returns to Japan for the first time in three years

DPPI

Three years since F1 last raced there, the world championship is finally back in the Land of the Rising Sun for the Japanese Grand Prix.

The legendary Suzuka circuit has been sorely missed from the GP calendar, but now the championship’s new generation of machines will take on the circuit’s swooping first corner, winding Essess, dizzying Spoon and the heart-stopping 130R for the first time.

Max Verstappen has a strong chance of sealing his world drivers’ title, with a victory sufficing for the Dutchman if Leclerc finishes lower than second. However, on a track which often thrills, it’s certainly going to be a race worth watching.

Here’s all the UK TV and streaming times to keep up with the action.

 

How to watch the 2022 Japanese GP 

Every session is covered live, in addition to free-to-air highlights of practice, qualifying and the race. The times listed are BST.

Live TV: All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, starting with Free Practice 1 early on Friday morning. 

Live stream: Sky Sports F1 subscribers can watch the running live on the Sky Go app, whilst Now TV subscribers also have full access to the sessions.

Highlights: Channel 4 will show highlights of all the weekend’s action Saturday morning and Sunday lunchtime.

Qualifying, Saturday 8 October  Japanese Grand Prix, Sunday 9 October
Start time 7am 6am
Live coverage From 6am, Sky Sports F1 From 4.30am, Sky Sports F1
Highlights 10.50am, Channel 4 12.30pm, Channel 4

 

Where to watch every Japanese Grand Prix session

All sessions will be live on Sky Sports F1 with coverage building up to each one, as well as reaction afterwards.

Sky Sports Main Event will show all sessions live as they happen also.

Sky Sports F1 – Live

Friday: FP1 – 3.30am | FP2 – 6.45am

Saturday: FP3 – 3.45am | Qualifying – 6am

Sunday: Grand Prix – 4.30am

 

How to stream the Japanese Grand Prix

If you subscribe to Sky, you can live stream the action by using the Sky Go app on mobile and tablet devices, as well as PC, laptops and console.

You can also watch the sessions on NOW TV with a sports membership, which can be streamed live anywhere in the UK. Similar to Sky Go, the app can be downloaded for all devices.

You can also purchase a NOW TV weekend pass, giving you access to all coverage, including build-up and reaction.

 

Who will win the Japanese GP?

Max Verstappen’s second drivers’ title is looking all but inevitable, and he’ll seal this weekend in a number of scenarios.

The most straightforward way is for the Dutchman to win and set fastest lap – even if Leclerc finishes second, the title would be Verstappen’s.

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Despite he and Red Bull being the form driver and team combination this year, this might not be easy. Though the Ferrari might struggle through the power sections, portions of the track – like the winding Esses, dependent on strong downforce – could help the F1-75 eke out an advantage over its RB18.

With sunshine and showers forecast across the weekend, we could be set for an exciting first Japanese race in an era of F1 where overtaking is easier, as highlighted by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

“I think in the medium and high-speed it’s a huge improvement, and we can follow much closer, and especially with a corner like Turn 13-14, where you’ve got a lot of different lines possible, it should make overtaking much easier,” he said.

 

How many laps is the Japanese GP?

The Japanese GP consists of 53 laps, with a total race distance of 190 miles (307km) on a 3.6-mile (5.8km) circuit.

Lewis Hamilton holds the lap record at 1min 30.983sec, with this year’s cars expected to be 2.5-4sec a lap slower in dry conditions.

The track only has one DRS zone, which is detected near to the 130R corner then deployed on the start / finish straight.

However we could some games of DRS cat-and-mouse appear between competitors. If a driver were to let a closing rival ahead before the detection zone, they could then repass them using DRS on the main straight.

 

2022 Japanese GP session times 

(All times BST)

Friday 7 October Saturday 08 October Sunday 09 October
F1 Free Practice 1 – 4am
Free Practice 2 – 7am
Free Practice 3 – 4am
Qualifying – 7am
Grand Prix – 6am