Japan 2022! Everything you need to know.
Updated: Oct 10, 2022
This post will be updated regularly over the weekend.
Welcome to Japan 2022! Like Singapore, it's been 3 years since F1 last raced in Japan, and it's fair to say fans and drivers alike cannot wait to see its return this week.
Here you will find all the updates from free practice, to qualifying, to the race, along with any other news updates from the weekend!
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Race Schedule (BST)
Friday 7th October 2022
Free Practice 1: 04:00 - 05:00
Free Practice 2: 07:00 - 08:00
Saturday 8th October 2022
Free Practice 3: 04:00 - 05:00
Qualifying: 07:00 - 08:00
Sunday 9th October 2022
The Race: 06:00
About The Track
The race will have 53 laps of the 5.807km Suzuka International Racing Course.
It's the home race for AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda.
The lap record is held by Lewis Hamilton, who set it at 1:30.983 in 2019.
A high speed track that drivers and fans alike love with the crossover and two commitment-rewarding Degners, what is not to love?

Image taken from official Formula One website.
Free Practice Updates
Free Practice 1:
Times by Teams -
Alfa Romeo
Valtteri Bottas: P9. 1:43.969. Completed 11 laps.
Zhou Guanyu: P11. 1:44.429. Completed 14 laps.
AlphaTauri
Pierre Gasly: P16.1:44.878. Completed 9 laps.
Yuki Tsunoda: P19. 1:46.192. Completed 13 laps.
Alpine
Esteban Ocon: P4. 1:43.022. Completed 5 laps.
Fernando Alonso: P1.1:42.248. Completed 7 laps.
Aston Martin
Sebastian Vettel: P20.1:48.090. Completed 5 laps.
Lance Stroll: P14. 1:44.570. Completed 7 laps.
Ferrari
Carlos Sainz: P2. 1:42.563. Completed 12 laps.
Charles Leclerc: P3. 1:42.634. Completed 13 laps.
Haas
Mick Schumacher: P7. 1:43.761. Completed 10 laps.
Kevin Magnussen: P5. 1:43.258. Completed 12 laps.
On his way back to the pits after FP1, Mick Schumacher suffered from aquaplaning and ended up in the barrier. Due to the damage on the car, he won't be participating in FP2 later on today.
McLaren
Lando Norris: P8. 1:43.889. Completed 7 laps.
Daniel Ricciardo: P12. 1:44.486. Completed 8 laps.
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton: P13. 1:44.558. Completed 6 laps.
George Russell: P18. 1:46.103. Completed 4 laps.
Red Bull
Max Verstappen: P6. 1:43.362. Completed 4 laps.
Sergio Perez: P10. 1:44.234. Completed 4 laps.
Williams
Alex Albon: P15.1:44.791. Completed 9 laps.
Nicholas Latifi: P17. 1:45.424. Completed 11 laps.
OVERALL RANKING FOR FP1:
Position | Driver | Team | Time |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine | 1:42.248 |
2 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | +0.315 |
3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.386 |
4 | Esteban ocon | Alpine | +0.774 |
5 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | +1.010 |
6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +1.114 |
7 | Mick Schumacher | Haas | +1.513 |
8 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +1.641 |
9 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | +1.721 |
10 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | +1.986 |
11 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | +2.181 |
12 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren | +2.238 |
13 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | +2.310 |
14 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +2.322 |
15 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +2.543 |
16 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri | +2.630 |
17 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams | +3.176 |
18 | George Russell | Mercedes | +3.855 |
19 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | +3.944 |
20 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin | +5.842 |
Free Practice 2:
Times by Teams -
Alfa Romeo
Valtteri Bottas: P8. 1:43.733. Completed 19 laps.
Zhou Guanyu: P10. 1:44.525. Completed 16 laps.
AlphaTauri
Pierre Gasly: P19. 1:47.109. Completed 13 laps.
Yuki Tsunoda: P14. 1:45.257. Completed 25 laps.
Alpine
Esteban Ocon: P9. 1:43.884. Completed 12 laps.
Fernando Alonso: P7. 1:43.533. Completed 13 laps.
Aston Martin
Sebastian Vettel: P15. 1:45.261. Completed 23 laps.
Lance Stroll: P18. 1:46.776. Completed 20 laps.
Ferrari
Carlos Sainz: P6. 1:43.204. Completed 23 laps.
Charles Leclerc: P11. 1:44.709. Completed 10 laps.
Haas
Mick Schumacher: P20 - he could not participate in this FP session due to aquaplaning at the end of FP1 and causing damage to the car. Hopefully everything will be up and running for tomorrow's FP3 session and qualifying.
Kevin Magnussen: P5. 1:43.187. Completed 16 laps.
McLaren
Lando Norris: P16. 1:45.885. Completed 11 laps.
Daniel Ricciardo: P17. 1:45.0030. Completed 9 laps.
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton:P2. 1:42.170. Completed 21 laps.
George Russell: P1. 1:41.935. Completed 22 laps.
Red Bull
Max Verstappen: P3. 1:42.786. Completed 23 laps.
Sergio Perez: P4. 1:42.834. Completed 25 laps.
OVERALL RANKING FOR FP2:
Position | Driver | Team | Time |
---|---|---|---|
1 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:41.935 |
2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | +0.235 |
3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.851 |
4 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | +0.899 |
5 | Kevin Magnuessen | Haas | +1.252 |
6 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | +1.269 |
7 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine | +1.598 |
8 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | +1.798 |
9 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | +1.949 |
10 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | +2.590 |
11 | Charles Leclrec | Ferrari | +2.774 |
12 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams | +3.027 |
13 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +3.104 |
14 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | +3.322 |
15 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin | +3.326 |
16 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +3.950 |
17 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren | +4.095 |
18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +4.841 |
19 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri | +5.174 |
20 | Mick Schumacher | Haas | N/A |
Free Practice 3:
Times by Teams -
Alfa Romeo
Valtteri Bottas: P13. 1:31.971. Completed 22 laps.
Zhou Guanyu: P18. 1:32.385. Completed 21 laps.
AlphaTauri
Pierre Gasly: P20. 1:32.881. Completed 23 laps.
Yuki Tsunoda: P17. 1:32.377. Completed 25 laps.
Alpine
Esteban Ocon: P9. 1:31.750. Completed 21 laps.
Fernando Alonso: P4. 1:31.320. Completed 19 laps.
Aston Martin
Sebastian Vettel: P14. 1:32.222. Completed 22 laps.
Lance Stroll: P10. 1:31.838. Completed 23 laps.
Ferrari
Carlos Sainz: P2. 1:30.965. Completed 26 laps.
Charles Leclerc: P3. 1:30.980. Completed 26 laps.
Haas
Mick Schumacher: P16. 1:32.366. Completed 23 laps.
Kevin Magnussen: P15. 1:32.290. Completed 22 laps.
McLaren
Lando Norris: P8. 1:31.747. Completed 25 laps.
Daniel Ricciardo: P11. 1:31.860. Completed 27 laps.
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton: P7. 1:31.589. Completed 24 laps.
George Russell:P6. 1:31.530. Completed 27 laps.
Red Bull
Max Verstappen: P1. 1:30.671. Completed 21 laps.
Sergio Perez: P5. 1:31.514. Completed 24 laps.
OVERALL RANKING FOR FP3:
Position | Driver | Team | Time |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:30.671 |
2 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | +0.294 |
3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.309 |
4 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine | +0.649 |
5 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | +0.843 |
6 | George Russell | Merceddes | +0.859 |
7 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren | +0.918 |
8 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +1.076 |
9 | Esteban ocon | Alpine | +1.079 |
10 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +1.167 |
11 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren | +1.189 |
12 | Alex Albon | Williams | +1.275 |
13 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | +1.300 |
14 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin | +1.551 |
15 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | +1.619 |
16 | Mick Schumacher | Haas | +1.695 |
17 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | +1.706 |
18 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | +1.714 |
19 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams | +2.197 |
20 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri | +2.210 |
Qualifying Updates
Eliminated in Q1 -
Nicholas Latifi
Lance Stroll
Kevin Magnussen
Pierre Gasly
Alex Albon
Eliminated in Q2 -
Mick Schumacher
Zhou Guanyu
Yuki Tsunoda
Valtteri Bottas
Daniel