Japanese Grand Prix

The Japanese Grand Prix has seen it all. From high speed chases, to perilous overtakes and tragedies in motorsports, there is no other race in Formula 1 which is as deeply rooted to racing as the Japanese Grand Prix. It is a unique track which is a favorite of one of the most popular drivers of the sport, Sebastian Vettel. Japan has also crowned many Formula 1 world champions with 13 Driver’s champions being crowned out of the 36 races held in Japan.

What started out as a playground for Honda’s tests, turned into one of the most loved venues of the calendar. Japanese fans have a habit of creating a festive atmosphere in the paddock with the love they show towards their drivers. Japan is also the home track for Visa CashApp RB’s ace Yuki Tsunoda. The Japanese GP is one of the most anticipated races of the calendar.

The Japanese GP 2024 will be the fuel to the fire for the burning competition in the 2024 Formula 1 season. In the starting few races, Red Bull and Ferrari have taken the lead in cutthroat competition. On one hand, Max Verstappen is displaying his perfection whereas on the other hand, Carlos Sainz is giving an example of his driving prowess and winning his race without a future contract. The upcoming Grand Prix may end up becoming a battle royale for setting the mood of the paddock for the 2024 Formula 1 season.

Japanese Grand Prix History

The first Japanese Grand Prix was held at the Fuji Speedway in 1976. The very first race in Japan was of historical significance. It was the finale to the famed rivalry of James Hunt and Niki Lauda in the 1976 Formula 1 season. Lauda withdrew from the race due to torrential rain, having suffered a near fatal accident in Germany. Hunt went to claim the title with a third place finish in the race, recovering from a slow pitstop that put him in fifth position. It was unfortunate that Formula 1 would not return to Japan for nearly a decade.

The race was restarted at the Suzuka Circuit, which serves as the current venue for Formula 1 race and gave another exciting title decider. This time Nigell Mansel crashed out in practice and could not participate in the race due to an old back injury. His teammate, Nelson Piquet went on to win his third and last title for Williams.

Japanese GP is also meddled with the tragedy of Jules Bianchi, who was the godfather of Charles Leclerc. Bianchi got caught up in an accident during the torrential conditions and ended up dying nine months later.

It was a wake up call for track marshalls and safety procedures to be improved in Formula 1. Max Verstappen is the reigning champion at Suzuka and will be looking forward to claiming another victory at the famed circuit.

Japanese Grand Prix 2024 Schedule

The Japanese Grand Prix will be held from April 5-7. The event will have three practice sessions and one qualifying session. The first two practice sessions of the race will be held on Friday 5th April, from 11:30 AM track time. The qualifying session will be held on Saturday, 6th April from 3:00 PM track time whereas the final race will be held on Sunday from 2:00 PM track time. The race will take 53 laps to complete covering over 307 kms in total.

Japanese Grand Prix 2024 Venue

The Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix will be held at the Suzuka International Circuit, in Suzuka, Mia Prefecture, Japan. The 5.807 km long track is owned and operated by Honda which used to be a power unit supplier in Formula 1 some years ago. It is one of the longest tracks on the calendar with 18 corners and one DRS zone. Suzuka is famous for its corner, the 130R which is a high speed left hander corner that involves turning without cost of speed.

There is also the Hairpin turn which is notorious for the many incidents that are bound to happen at the spot. The best part of the track is that it is an 8-shaped circuit with a crossover. The lap record of Suzuka is held by Lewis Hamilton, who set a time of 1:30.983 in his Mercedes W11 in 2019.

Japanese Grand Prix 2024 Drivers Standings

The drivers standings before the Japanese Grand Prix is led by Max Verstappen, “the Dutch Lion”. He is 4 points ahead of nearest rival Charles Lecelrc who has been making steady moves with his Ferrari SF24.

Fernando Alonso was handed a surprising penalty after he supposedly “brake-checked" George Russell. The Spaniard didn’t take the punishment lightly and commented how not every lap is supposed to be the same and he is getting penalized for his driving style.

Drivers with most wins in the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix

The legendary German, Michael Schumacher is the king of Suzuka. He has been crowned as victor in the Grand Prix 6 times, closely followed by fellow record holder Lewis Hamilton. Sebastian Vettel is next on the list with four victories, each of which came for Red Bull. In case of constructor’s however, McLaren takes the lead with a huge gap from the fellow teams. The iconic orange outfit from Woking has won the race nine times as a constructor. Ferrari are hoping to catch up to them with six victories over the history of the race.

Schumacher celebrates his world title after winning the Japanese GP. [Credits: Getty Images]

Where to watch the Japanese Grand Prix 2024?

The Japanese GP will be broadcast on different channels worldwide. The fans and spectators can keep track of the races online via Formula 1 TV, however they will be required to pay for its subscription service. These services will also provide driver radios and live telemetry data. Here is a list of broadcasters in different countries:

Japanese Grand Prix race timings for different time zones