Formula 1: How to watch the Japanese Grand Prix on TV and what to know

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates after qualifying session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the qualifying session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, Pool)

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands prepares to drive during the third practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

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McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

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McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain speaks with his crews after the third practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

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McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia prepares to drive his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

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Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda of Japan responds to a journalist’s question during a news conference at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Thursday, April 3, 2025, ahead Sunday’s Japanese Formula One Grand Prix race. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

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McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia, McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain and Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain celebrates on the podium after the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix race at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo)

SUZUKA, Japan (AP) — Here’s a guide that tells you what you need to know about the Japanese Grand Prix. It’s the third round of the 2025 Formula 1 season.

How to watch the Japanese Grand Prix on TV

— In the U.S., ESPN.

— Other countries are listed here.

What is the remainder of the Japanese GP schedule?

— Sunday: The Japanese Grand Prix, 53 laps of the 5.807-kilometer (3.608-mile) Suzuka circuit.

Where is the Japanese Grand Prix taking place?

The Suzuka track first hosted F1 in 1987 and is a favorite with drivers and fans for its fast and technical layout. Owned by Honda, it’s the only track on the F1 calendar in a figure-of-eight layout, using a bridge to cross over itself. The timing of the Japanese Grand Prix moved to the spring — cherry blossom season — last year, which means cooler weather, and there is an 80% chance of rain in the forecast for Sunday. Max Verstappen won the 2024 race at Suzuka in dominant style from then-teammate Sergio Perez.

What happened in the last race?

Oscar Piastri won the Chinese Grand Prix from pole for McLaren, with teammate Lando Norris second and George Russell third for Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton won the sprint race in his first major success since joining Ferrari, but he and teammate Charles Leclerc were disqualified from the Grand Prix the following day. It was Liam Lawson’s second and last race for Red Bull before the team dropped him last week in favor of Yuki Tsunoda, who will be at his home race in Japan.

What do I need to know about F1 and the Japanese Grand Prix?

Get caught up:

— Max Verstappen takes pole position for Sunday’s race

— Lewis Hamilton tempers expectations as he settles in with Ferrari

— Storylines for the Japanese GP are as fleeting as the cherry blossoms this time of year

— McLaren’s Oscar Piastri wins Chinese GP from teammate Lando Norris. Both Ferraris disqualified

— Ferrari vows to fix ‘mistakes’ that disqualified Hamilton: 5 takeaways from the Chinese Grand Prix

— Red Bull drops Liam Lawson and replaces him with Yuki Tsunoda

— Lando Norris: McLaren is ready for a title fight between its drivers

— Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is having a cultural impact far beyond Formula 1

Key stats at Suzuka

3 — McLaren has won three consecutive F1 races for the first time since 2012. A fourth win in a row would be the team’s best run in 20 years.

28 — Piastri has scored at least one point in every one of the last 28 race weekends dating to Brazil in November 2023.

17 — Ahead of Saturday qualifying in Japan, Ferrari had just 17 constructors’ points after its double disqualification in China and is already 61 behind McLaren in the standings. Williams also has 17 but the team is much more satisfied after often racing at the back last year.

Verstappen leaves it late but takes Suzuka pole

Max Verstappen of Red Bull will start from pole position after turning in the top time in qualifying on Saturday on his final lap. Norris will start alongside Verstappen with teammate Piastri on the second row with Leclerc.

What has been said in Japan ahead of Sunday’s race?

“Very unexpected. We just kept making improvements. The last lap was just flat out” — Verstappen on his last-lap performance to win pole.

“We know realistically the McLarens are exceptionally strong, and I think it’s going to be challenging for anybody else to compete with them. But you know, we saw last year how dominant Red Bull were, and suddenly they weren’t at the end of the season” — Russell.

“Our performance compared to McLaren is just not good enough” — Leclerc.

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