Japanese Grand Prix: What is the F1 weather forecast this weekend?

F1 is off to the land of the rising sun for round 18 of the ongoing season, which will be the 2022 F1 Japanese GP. Like last week's race in Singapore, this weekend's race also returns to the calendar for the first time since 2019, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, and could leave a lasting impression on this year's championship.

Runaway constructors leaders Red Bull will be buoyed after their win under frenetic conditions at Marina Bay thanks to Sergio Perez's steely determination. This weekend, however, could be all about Max Verstappen, who will want to try and claim his second drivers' world title after a weekend to forget last time out.

The Dutchman could also end up being the first Honda-powered F1 driver to win the title on the Japanese manufacturer's home turf since Ayrton Senna won the last of his three crowns at Suzuka in 1991.

Ferrari will be trying to delay what looks like an inevitable coronation for Verstappen and will hope to carry the momentum from their double podium in Singapore with them to Suzuka. Unfortunately for the Scuderia, this may prove to be a tad too difficult, given Red Bull's inherent advantage on what is an extremely technical circuit.

Mercedes were top dogs the last time F1 went racing in Suzuka but this time around, they do not have that same aura of invincibility around them. After a disappointing outing in the rain at Marina Bay, the Silver Arrows will be hoping for a better showing but may have to be content playing third fiddle behind Red Bull and Ferrari.

Alpine lost ground in the battle for fourth place in the constructors' championship standings after both Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon retired last weekend. After that and McLaren's impressive double-points finish in Singapore, the two teams are now separated by four points in what is a tantalizing contest for the title of 'best of the rest' this season.

The Figure Eight track layout of Suzuka presents a stiff challenge in itself that all teams and drivers will need to prepare for. Their work could be further enhanced by the elements as well. So, what sort of weather can one expect for the forthcoming 2022 F1 Japanese GP?

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Weather forecast for the 2022 F1 Japanese Grand Prix weekend (October 7- October 9)

Here is some information regarding the weather forecast in Suzuka City in the Mie prefecture of Japan for the upcoming 2022 F1 Japanese Grand Prix weekend, according to accuweather.com.

Friday, October 7 – FP1 and FP2 weather

Conditions: On-and-off rain, which could turn heavy; a low UV index of 1 and N winds blowing at 6km/h, with wind gusts at 15km/h, and little to no probability of a thunderstorm.

Maximum temperature expected: 19°C | 66.2°F

Minimum temperature expected: 14°C | 57.2°F

Chance of rain: 96%

Saturday, October 8 – FP3 and Qualifying weather

Conditions: Sun through high clouds and negligible chances of rain; a low UV index of 2 and NNE winds blowing at 6 km/h, with wind gusts at 20km/h and little to no probability of a thunderstorm.

Maximum temperature expected: 23°C | 73.4°F

Minimum temperature expected: 14°C | 57.2°F

Chance of rain: 1%

Sunday, October 9 – Main Race weather

Conditions: Cloudy and not as warm with occasional rain; a low UV index of 1 and E winds blowing at 7km/h, with wind gusts at 40km/h, and little to no probability of a thunderstorm.

Maximum temperature expected: 20°C | 68°F

Minimum temperature expected: 16°C | 60.8°F

Chance of rain: 64%

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Pirelli boss expecting high tire degradation on all wheels at 2022 F1 Japanese GP

Pirelli has confirmed the tire compounds that will be provided to all teams for this weekend's 2022 F1 Japanese GP.

The Italian tire manufacturer has opted to go for the hardest rubber in their selection this weekend. They will be bringing the C1 compound as the white-walled hard tire, the C2 will be the yellow-walled medium tire, and the C3 compound will be the red-walled soft tire for the race.

Pirelli's head of motorsports Mario Isola is eagerly anticipating the return to Suzuka, where he expects all drivers to have to calibrate for high tire degradation on all four wheels. In his pre-race debrief, the Italian wrote:

“Ask the drivers which are their favourite circuits and Suzuka will always be high on the list: it contains demanding corners like nowhere else, such as 130R and Spoon, as well as a truly special atmosphere and history with incredible fans. There’s a roughly equal number of left and right corners in the unique figure of eight layout, which means that the circuit demands are evenly balanced. The sustained energy loads through the tyres are some of the highest we register all year, and the track layout means that we bring the three hardest compounds in our range because of the high levels of tyre duty.”

Pirelli is also set to be testing the prototype tires that will be used in 2023 after F1 agreed to an extended practice session allowance for Friday and the data from that could go a long way. Isola went on to add:

“With the latest generation of cars being heavier than before and the limits of performance constantly being pushed, that challenge is bigger than ever now. An innovation for this year is the fact that we will be testing some 2023 prototype tyres during an extended free practice session on Friday afternoon, as we finalise the specification for next year with the end of this season approaching.”

Meanwhile, viewers in the US can tune into ESPN and ESPN Deportes to watch all the action live from the race weekend. UK viewers can catch the proceedings on Sky Sports, while Indian viewers can do the same on Star Sports Select, Star Sports Select HD 2, and Disney+ Hotstar.