How To Watch The 2026 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix This Weekend
· Yahoo Sports
Formula 1 heads to the Suzuka International Racing Course a.k.a. the Suzuka Circuit, this weekend for the third race of the 2026 season.
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Mercedes arrives in Japan riding a wave of momentum, but the early 2026 Formula 1 season is already shaping up to be more competitive than expected. The Silver Arrows have opened the year with back-to-back 1-2 finishes in Australia and China, quickly establishing themselves as the team to beat.
Despite Mercedes' perfect start on paper, Ferrari has not been far off the pace. The Scuderia pushed hard in both opening rounds and looks increasingly competitive.
Formula 1's governing body is making a subtle but potentially meaningful tweak ahead of this weekend's race, adjusting how energy is managed during qualifying sessions under the new 2026 regulations.
Following feedback from drivers after the opening rounds in Australia and China, the FIA confirmed it will reduce the maximum energy recharge allowance in qualifying from 9 megajoules to 8 megajoules at Suzuka. This should reduce the amount of lift-and-coast and the controversial superclipping.
The result should be a more straightforward, flat-out approach in qualifying, putting greater emphasis on driver commitment and car performance rather than energy conservation strategy.
Image: Formula 1How to Watch the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix
- 2026 F1 Japanese Grand Prix Date: Sunday, March 29, 2026
- 2026 F1 Japanese Grand Prix Start Time: 1 a.m. ET
Broadcast coverage varies by region. In the United States, Formula 1's primary broadcast partner for the 2026 season is Apple TV, which streams every session live.
Apple TV+ carries live coverage of the championship, including practice sessions, qualifying, and the race itself. The event is also available through the sport's official streaming services, F1 TV Pro and F1 TV Premium.
For viewers catching up after the fact, Apple TV will also offer full session replays, highlight packages, and a condensed "Race in 30" format designed to recap the event without spoilers.
The service is available through the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV devices, smart televisions from brands including Samsung and LG, as well as streaming devices such as Roku and Amazon Fire TV. Gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox also support the app.
A subscription costs $12.99 per month in the U.S., with a seven-day free trial available for new users.
In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports continues to carry full live coverage of all F1 sessions. Highlights of the race will also be available on Channel 4. In Canada, viewers can access the broadcast via TSN.
Fans worldwide can also watch F1 TV, the series' official streaming platform.
Image: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F12026 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix Storylines
Two races in, Mercedes has emerged as the team to beat. George Russell opened the season with victory in Australia and added a Sprint win in China, but teammate Kimi Antonelli responded in emphatic fashion by securing pole in Shanghai and converting it into his first Grand Prix win.
That one-two punch has quickly turned the spotlight toward Mercedes' driver pairing. Russell currently holds a narrow edge in the standings, but Antonelli's rapid rise has added intrigue to what could become an intra-team title fight. While team boss Toto Wolff has urged patience with the 19-year-old rookie, another strong result in Japan would only strengthen Antonelli's case as a genuine championship contender.
With a clear performance advantage early on, Mercedes has built a valuable early points cushion-but in a development-heavy season, maintaining that edge will be challenging.
Image: Scuderia Ferrari HPFerrari Finding Its Rhythm
Ferrari has shown enough pace to stay within striking distance. The Scuderia's drivers delivered some of the most entertaining moments of the Chinese Grand Prix, battling each other hard across both the Sprint and main race.
Charles Leclerc had the upper hand early in the weekend, but Lewis Hamilton fought back on Sunday to claim his first Grand Prix podium with Ferrari. The seven-time world champion appears rejuvenated, looking far more comfortable than he did during a challenging 2025 campaign.
While Ferrari still trails Mercedes on outright pace, both drivers have proven capable of challenging for podiums-and possibly more if reliability or strategy swings the balance. The question now is which Ferrari driver will capitalize first if an opportunity presents itself.
Home Pressure for Honda
Suzuka is a significant weekend for Honda, as it returns to its home race in partnership with Aston Martin. The season hasn't started smoothly for the team, with reliability and technical issues limiting track time in the opening rounds.
However, the gap between races has allowed engineers in both Japan and the UK to dig into the data and search for improvements. With strong local support expected at Suzuka, Honda will be eager to show progress and begin unlocking more performance from the package.
Image: Oracle Red Bull RacingMcLaren and Red Bull Searching for Answers
If Mercedes and Ferrari have set the early pace, McLaren and Red Bull are playing catch-up.
McLaren had a disastrous outing in China, with both cars failing to start due to different electrical issues. That lack of running has left the team short on valuable data, putting it at a disadvantage despite showing promise in pre-season testing.
Red Bull, meanwhile, has struggled to extract consistent performance from its car, slipping down the order after a difficult weekend in Shanghai. Both teams have the pace and driving talent to challenge near the front, but Suzuka will be a crucial opportunity to reset and regain momentum.
Image: Formula 1A Tight Midfield Battle Emerging
Behind the frontrunners, the midfield is already shaping up to be fiercely competitive. Haas has been one of the standout performers, climbing up the standings thanks to a strong start-while Racing Bulls and Alpine have also put together solid early results.
With small margins separating multiple teams, the fight for points looks set to remain intense throughout the season.
Suzuka's Unique Challenge
Beyond the championship narratives, Suzuka itself adds another layer of intrigue. Widely regarded as one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar, the Japanese track combines high-speed corners, rapid direction changes, and unforgiving run-off areas.
It's also a favorite among drivers and fans alike, with packed grandstands and a passionate atmosphere that's unlike anywhere else in Formula 1.
Overtaking has traditionally been difficult at Suzuka, but with the 2026 cars featuring different aerodynamic characteristics and power deployment strategies, there's curiosity around whether the action seen in Melbourne and Shanghai will carry over.
Image: Formula 12026 Formula 1 Calendar
March 5-7: Qatar Airways Australian Grand Prix
March 12-15: Heineken Chinese Grand Prix
March 26-29: Aramco Japanese Grand Prix
April 10-12: Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix
April 17-19: STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
May 1-3: Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix
May 22-24: Lenovo Canadian Grand Prix
June 5-7: Monaco Grand Prix
June 12-14: MSC Cruises Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix
June 26-28: Lenovo Austrian Grand Prix
July 3-5: Pirelli British Grand Prix
July 17-19: Belgian Grand Prix
July 24-26: AWS Hungarian Grand Prix
Aug. 21-23: Heineken Dutch Grand Prix
Sep. 4-6: Pirelli Italian Grand Prix
Sep. 11-13: Tag Heuer Spanish Grand Prix
Sep. 24-26: Qatar Airways Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Oct. 9-11: Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix
Oct. 23-25: MSC Cruises United States Grand Prix
Oct. 30-Nov. 1: Mexico City Grand Prix
Nov. 6-8: MSC Cruises São Paulo Grand Prix
Nov. 19-21: Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix
Nov. 27-29: Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix
Dec. 4-6: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
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