1105th F1 GRAND PRIX | 48th JAPANESE GRAND PRIX | 34th GRAND PRIX AT SUZUKA
2023 POLESITTER: MAX VERSTAPPEN | 2023 WINNER: MAX VERSTAPPEN
F1’s only figure of eight circuit moves to an earlier slot on the calendar in 2024. Suzuka ranks among the most challenging circuits to master. The 2024 Japanese Grand Prix is set to take place on April 5-7.
2024 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday April 5
Free Practice 1 – 11:30am Local Time / 3:30am UK Time
Free Practice 2 – 3:00pm Local Time / 7:00am UK Time
Saturday April 6
Free Practice 3 – 11:30am Local Time / 3:30am UK Time
Qualifying- 3:00pm Local Time / 7:00am UK Time
Sunday April 7
The 2024 Japanese Grand Prix – 2:00pm Local Time / 6:00am UK Time
2024 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND MILESTONES
The Japanese Grand Prix moves to a much earlier slot on the 2024 calendar. This will be the first time F1 has raced at Suzuka in a month other than September, October or November. It is the earliest date in the year on which F1 has raced in Japan – though the sport has visited Japan in April once before, for the Pacific Grand Prix in 1994.
Michael Schumacher’s record of six Suzuka victories cannot be equalled at the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix. However, Lewis Hamilton could become only the second driver to take five victories at Suzuka, while Max Verstappen could become the fourth to record three wins at the venue.
Max Verstappen could become only the second driver – after Michael Schumacher in 2000, 2001 and 2002 – to take victory at Suzuka in three consecutive years.
READ MORE IN MILESTONES AND RECORDS TO BREAK
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2024 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT THE CIRCUIT SINCE LAST YEAR?
Since last year, new debris fences have been installed at Turns 7, 9, 11 and 15, while the tyre barrier at Turn 12 has been renewed. The artificial grass at Turns 16 and 17 has been removed.
HOW MANY DRS ZONES WILL THERE BE AT THE 2024 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX?
There will be a single DRS zone at the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix. The detection point is located before Turn 16, while the activation zone is on the main straight.
SUZUKA TRACK GUIDE
Mastering the flowing nature of Suzuka requires an enormous attention to detail. The only figure of eight circuit on Formula 1’s calendar is regarded as one of the most technically challenging of the year.
The Suzuka circuit was built as a test track for Japanese manufacturer Honda in 1962. The circuit, which was designed by John Hugenholtz, is situated 30 miles south-west of Nagoya. While Honda tested their latest motorbikes and cars, the track was seen as too good to be used only for testing, and so racing began at the circuit. For its first years of existence, the track was used only for national events. Formula 1 ventured into Japan in the mid-seventies with a couple of races at Fuji, before the death of a marshal in the 1977 race put a halt to the sport’s tenure there. Suzuka was finally placed on the calendar in 1987.
The elevation change around the track is one of the factors which makes Suzuka such a demanding track. The drivers travel downhill into the long first bend, before ascending up through the esses. Near the end of the track – after the drivers have passed over the circuit in the only figure of eight layout on the calendar – the drivers hurtle into 130R, which is one of the fastest corners of the year, taken at just under 190mph, before the cars approach the final chicane – the slowest section of the track.
READ MORE IN OUR ULTIMATE TRACK GUIDE
WHO WILL BE IN THE 2024 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX PRESS CONFERENCES?
The world’s media will have the opportunity to talk to the drivers ahead of the on-track action. The drivers appearing in the press conference for this race are:
Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
George Russell (Mercedes)
Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Alex Albon (Williams)
The media will also be talking to prominent members of Formula 1’s teams in a separate press conference over the race weekend. The team members appearing in the press conference are:
Bruno Famin (Alpine)
Ayao Komatsu (Haas)
Toto Wolff (Mercedes)
James Vowles (Williams)
WHO WILL BE THE RACE DIRECTOR AT THE 2024 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX?
Niels Wittich will be the race director at the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix.
WHO WILL BE THE DRIVER STEWARD AT THE 2024 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX?
Each weekend a former Formula 1 driver, or a driver from another prominent series of motorsport, joins the stewards to help judge any incidents from a drivers’ perspective. The Driver Steward this weekend is Enrique Bernoldi.
WHICH TYRE COMPOUNDS WILL BE USED AT THE 2024 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX?
Pirelli have announced that the C1, C2 and C3 tyre compounds will be used at the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix. The C1, C2 and C3 compounds were also used in 2023.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME AT THE JAPANESE GRAND PRIX?
Verstappen clinched the victory and a sixth Constructors’ Championship win for Red Bull at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix, as both McLaren drivers finished on the podium.
While Pierre Gasly crashed out in Free Practice 2, Logan Sargeant brought out the red flags in Q1 at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix as he crashed heavily at the final corner. Max Verstappen dominated on Saturday, setting the fastest lap time by over half a second. The two McLarens lined up behind him on the grid, with Oscar Piastri second and Lando Norris third.
The trio were three-wide on the run into Turn 1 but Verstappen was able to stay ahead. Further back, there was big contact in the mid-pack before Turn 1. The contact between Alex Albon and an Alfa Romeo brought out the Safety Car. There was more trouble for Alfa Romeo up at the hairpin, where Valtteri Bottas went off track after being hit by Sargeant’s Williams. Bottas retired from the race soon after.
The two Mercedes drivers battled for position when racing resumed, with both running off track multiple times. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez hit Kevin Magnussen’s Haas at the hairpin. The Red Bull subsequently retired from the race only to re-emerge a few laps later to serve the penalty which he had received for the earlier contact, before retiring again five minutes later.
Lewis Hamilton pulled off a move on Fernando Alonso at 130R. Towards the front, McLaren team-mates Norris and Piastri swapped positions, with Norris showing more pace than his rookie team-mate. There was more intra-team swapping at Mercedes, as Russell was told to let Hamilton by. It was a move which saw Carlos Sainz soon overtake Russell for P7.
Verstappen cruised to his 48th career victory – a win which sealed a sixth Constructors’ Championship win for Red Bull. McLaren recorded their first double podium finish at Suzuka since 2003, with Norris as runner-up and Piastri recording the first podium finish of his career.
WHAT’S THE FASTEST EVER LAP AT THE JAPANESE GRAND PRIX?
Attending the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix? Learn more about visiting Suzuka in the F1Destinations Travel Guide.
