2018 F1 Japanese Grand Prix
- When: Sunday 7 October
- Where: Suzuka International Racing Course
- Race start time: 6.10am on Sunday (UK time)
- 2017 podium: 1st Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); 2nd Max Verstappen (Red Bull); 3rd Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)
The 2018 Formula 1 title race continues in Japan this weekend, with Lewis Hamilton hoping to build on his lead at the top of the drivers’ standings.
With five races remaining this season, including Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, Mercedes’ Hamilton has a 50-point advantage over Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.
British driver Hamilton was triumphant last year at Suzuka and comes into this year’s race with wins in the previous three grands prix - in Italy, Singapore and Russia. Another victory in Japan would put him a step closer to fifth career F1 title.
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The time difference with Japan means it’s a very early start for F1 fans watching in the UK. Don’t forget to set your alarm clocks - the race starts at 6.10am (UK time) on Sunday morning.
80th career pole for Hamilton
Hamilton will start on the front row in Japan with Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas after the reigning world champion secured his 80th career pole position.
After finishing fastest in all three practice sessions at Suzuka, Hamilton took his pace into qualifying on Saturday morning. With Bottas joining Hamilton at the front for Sunday’s race, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will start in third.
“The team have done an amazing job all weekend,” said Hamilton. It’s my 80th [pole] and I can’t believe I’ve got 80. We have worked so hard to refine and improve this car and the same for ourselves on the way we work as a team. I am so proud to be on this journey with them. Every team has smart people, but it is about how you perform together under pressure.”
For Ferrari and Vettel, Hamilton’s rival for the F1 title, it was a “disastrous” qualifying session as the weather changed at Suzuka, says Sky Sports. The German will start in ninth place in Japan after a Ferrari mix-up with the choice of tyres.
The BBC says Ferrari “sent the drivers out on treaded tyres in the dry at the start, and Vettel failed to get in a time after switching to dry-weather ‘slick’ tyres”.
With Hamilton 50 points ahead of Vettel with five races remaining, the Independent asks if the errors in Japan will mark the point when Vettel’s slim title hopes finally slipped away?
F1 Japanese GP guide
Suzuka International Racing Course
- First grand prix: 1987
- Number of laps: 53
- Circuit length: 5.807km
- Race distance: 307.471km
- Lap record: 1:31.540 by Kimi Raikkonen in 2005
What time does the Japanese GP start?
Sunday’s race at Suzuka starts at 6.10am (UK time).
Japanese GP TV coverage
Sky Sports F1 and Channel 4 will both broadcast live from Suzuka this weekend (all times UK).
Sky Sports F1’s Japanese GP schedule Sunday 7 October
- 4.30am: Pit Lane live
- 5.30am: On the Grid live
- 6.10am: F1 Japanese Grand Prix live (repeats at 11.05am, 2.30pm, 6pm and 10.35pm)
- 8.30am: Paddock live
Channel 4’s Japanese GP schedule Sunday 7 October
- 5am: race build-up
- 6.10am: Japanese GP live
- 12.30pm: race rerun
Japanese GP betting odds
Latest prices according to Oddschecker (as of 6 October).
To win the Japanese GP
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes): 4/11
- Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes): 6/1
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull): 10/1
- Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari): 10/1
- Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari): 20/1
- Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull): 200/1
