The third grand prix of the 2026 Formula 1 season is upon us on the Suzuka Circuit in Japan, and you possibly can observe all of it with ESPN.
After taking pole for the second straight race, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli will lead the pack into Turn 1 — trailed by his teammate George Russell.
Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc will probably be proper behind them, whereas Max Verstappen begins in eleventh after a Q2 exit, leaving him feeling ‘past pissed off’.
Follow all of it right here.
Recent historical past in this grand prix belongs squarely to Verstappen, who has gained the final 4 from 2022-2025, however a fifth consecutive win on Sunday would take one thing fairly extraordinary after Red Bull’s early struggles this season.
Mercedes will fancy their probabilities of taking their third win out three this yr with their drivers on the entrance row. In 2025, Antonelli broke two data in Japan, as the then-18-year-old turned the youngest driver in historical past to set a quickest lap and lead a race.
An 18-turn course, Suzuka Circuit stays a fan favorite, recognized for its a novel ‘figure-of-eight’ structure — the one one in all its sort on the calendar.
It’s a relentless take a look at for drivers, particularly by means of the “Esses” — Turns 3 by means of 6 — and the well-known corners Spoon and 130R.
