The 2024 Formula One season continues with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. F1’s travelling circus will travel to the Japanese track for the second time in a little over six months, making it a good barometer for how much teams have improved or regressed since the last running of the race in September.
Max Verstappen will again be hot favourite, the nature of the circuit at Suzuka suiting his car’s characteristics. Despite his retirement in Australia he leads the championship standings by four points from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, as his Red Bull team do from Ferrari.
Given that McLaren went so well here in 2023 it will be interesting to see if they can usurp Ferrari as Red Bull’s main challengers in Japan.
What time do practice, qualifying and the race start?
Friday April 5
First practice: 3.30-4.30am BST
Second practice: 7-8am
Saturday April 6
Third practice: 3.30-4.30am
Qualifying: 7am
Sunday April 7
Japanese Grand Prix 2024: 6am
What is the latest news?
Sargeant able to race despite practice crash
Williams breathed a sigh of relief on Friday after the chassis of Logan Sargeant’s car survived a heavy crash in practice at the Japanese Grand Prix, a sign that the team should be able to avoid another race where they can field only one driver.
The American did not race in the Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago as his more experienced team mate Alexander Albon wrecked his chassis in the opening practice and then took Sargeant’s car for the race as the team does not have a spare.
At the Suzuka circuit on Friday, Sargeant slammed his car into a trackside tyre wall in the first free practice session and did not emerge in a second session blighted by wet weather.
“The chassis is okay, fortunately,” team boss James Vowles told reporters. “But I would say pretty much everything else isn’t: so suspension all round, gearbox cracked, big damage.
“We will obviously do our utmost to try and get the car back out there again.”
Vowles dismissed suggestions Sargeant may have been pushing too hard to prove a point after Melbourne.
“[He] wanted to get back into the car and get going but not with the intention of proving to the world that he deserves a seat,” said Vowles.
“What you saw here was not a driver making a mistake because they were pushing to the limits … He just didn’t know where the car was on the track.”
Vowles said they would also be without a spare chassis in the next race in China but would have one after that in Miami.
Sargeant said the crash had been down to a “silly error” and was looking forward to getting back on track on Saturday.
“I left the team with some damage but fortunately got away better than it could have been,” he added.
What were the times after Friday practice?
Max Verstappen, Red Bull 1:30.056
Sergio Perez, Red Bull +0.181
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari +0.213
George Russell, Mercedes +0.474
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes +0.487
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari +0.502
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin +0.543
Oscar Piastri, McLaren +1.109
Yuki Tsunoda, RB +1.174
Lando Norris, McLaren +1.184
Esteban Ocon, Alpine +1.879
Alexander Albon, Williams +1.887
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas +1.902
Valtteri Bottas, Sauber +1.998
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin +1.999
Ayumu Iwasa, RB +2.047
Pierre Gasly, Alpine +2.221
Guanyu Zhou, Sauber +2.582
Kevin Magnussen, Haas +2.747
Logan Sargeant, Williams +3.148
Reuters
Who won last year’s Japanese Grand Prix?
As with 18 other races out of the 22 from 2023, Max Verstappen was the winner at Suzuka. It was, however, a strong performance from a resurgent McLaren with Lando Norris in second and his Australian team-mate Oscar Piastri in third. Charles Leclerc took fourth for Ferrari with Lewis Hamilton in fifth for Mercedes after a battle with team-mate George Russell.
Japanese Grand Prix circuit length, distance and race distance
First Grand Prix: 1987
Number of laps: 53
Circuit length: 5.807km
Race distance: 307.471km
Race lap record: 1min30.983sec (Lewis Hamilton, 2019)
How to watch the Japanese Grand Prix on television and on streaming
As with the past few years, Sky Sports F1 have every single practice session, qualifying and race live this year.
If you do not want to take out a full sky subscription then you can get access to the 2024 F1 season through Now TV which has 12 Sky Sports channels for £26 a month and a six-month minimum term.
If you want to catch extended highlights then Channel 4 is your go-to broadcaster, with their qualifying program on Saturday and their race program on Sunday. You can also sign up to Now TV on a race-by-race or month-by-month basis.
If you are outside of the UK then you can likely subscribe to F1’s own F1TV, which you can do so with a monthly subscription.
What are the current standings?
What are the odds for the winner of the race?
Max Verstappen 1/6
Sergio Perez 11/1
Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz 14/1
Lando Norris 20/1
Oscar Piastri 33/1
George Russell, Lewis Hamilton 66/1
Who are the past winners of the Japanese Grand Prix?
Results since 2000
2023: Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2022: Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
2021/2020: Race not held
2019: Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
2018: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2017: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2016: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2015: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2014: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2013: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2012: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2011: Jenson Button, McLaren
2010: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2009: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2008: Fernando Alonso, Renault
2007: Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2006: Fernando Alonso, Renault
2005: Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren
2004: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
2003: Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari
2002: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
2001: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
2000: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
EMEA Tribune is not involved in this news article, it is taken from our partners and or from the News Agencies. Copyright and Credit go to the News Agencies, email news@emeatribune.com Follow our WhatsApp verified Channel
