2026 Formula 1 · Round 3
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: what channel is it on, start time and how to stream
Dash Marchetti · Race weekend desk
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Suzuka is the one figure-of-eight circuit in Formula 1, and the one most drivers name when asked for their favourite lap of the year.
The Japanese GP has finished. Replays are on F1 TV Pro, and on Apple TV in the US.
What channel is the Japanese GP on?
It depends where you are. In the United States every session is on Apple TV — the rights moved from ESPN ahead of the 2026 season, so it is no longer on cable. In the United Kingdom it is Sky Sports F1, with free highlights on Channel 4. Canada has TSN and RDS; Australia has Fox Sports and Kayo.
| Where you are | Live TV | Streaming | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Apple TV (exclusive — every practice, qualifying, sprint and race) | Apple TV app on smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Google TV, consoles, iOS, Android, or tv.apple.com in any browser | Apple TV free trial for new subscribers; practice sessions stream free in the Apple TV app |
| United Kingdom | Sky Sports F1 (every session live) | Sky Go, NOW Sports Membership, Virgin Media | Channel 4 shows extended highlights of every race, plus the British Grand Prix live in full |
| Canada | TSN (English) and RDS (French) | TSN+, RDS Direct, F1 TV Pro | No free live option |
| Australia | Fox Sports and Kayo Sports (every session live) | Kayo Sports on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast and smart TVs | Network 10 carries the Australian Grand Prix free-to-air under anti-siphoning rules |
| Ireland | Sky Sports F1 | Sky Go, NOW | Channel 4 highlights are available in most of Ireland |
| Most other countries | A local rights holder in each market — check your listings | F1 TV Pro streams every session live in 180+ countries (not available in the UK; in the US it is bundled with Apple TV as F1 TV Premium) | No free live option |
Listings checked Sunday, August 30, 2026. Broadcast rights change between seasons and vary by region — confirm with your provider before the session starts.
What time does the Japanese GP start?
Lights out is 5:00 AM UTC on Sunday, March 29, 2026 — that is 5:00 AM UTC where you are. Broadcasters start their build-up show roughly half an hour earlier.
| City | Race starts |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | Sat, Mar 28 · 10:00 PM |
| New York | Sun, Mar 29 · 1:00 AM |
| São Paulo | Sun, Mar 29 · 2:00 AM |
| London | Sun, Mar 29 · 6:00 AM |
| Paris, Berlin, Rome | Sun, Mar 29 · 7:00 AM |
| Dubai | Sun, Mar 29 · 9:00 AM |
| New Delhi | Sun, Mar 29 · 10:30 AM |
| Singapore | Sun, Mar 29 · 1:00 PM |
| Tokyo | Sun, Mar 29 · 2:00 PM |
| Sydney | Sun, Mar 29 · 4:00 PM |
How to stream the Japanese GP live
No cable needed anywhere. US viewers use the Apple TV app, which runs on smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Google TV, consoles, phones and any web browser — and includes F1 TV Premium at no extra cost. UK viewers can stream Sky Sports F1 through a NOW Sports Membership with no contract. In Canada, TSN+ is sold standalone. Elsewhere, F1 TV Pro streams every session live in more than 180 countries.
Japanese Grand Prix weekend schedule
Every session in UTC and converted to your own timezone. Standard format: three practice sessions, qualifying on Saturday, the Grand Prix on Sunday.
| Session | Date | Start (UTC) | Your time | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice 1 | Fri, Mar 27 | 2:30 AM | 2:30 AM UTC | Finished |
| Practice 2 | Fri, Mar 27 | 6:00 AM | 6:00 AM UTC | Finished |
| Practice 3 | Sat, Mar 28 | 2:30 AM | 2:30 AM UTC | Finished |
| Qualifying | Sat, Mar 28 | 6:00 AM | 6:00 AM UTC | Finished |
| Race | Sun, Mar 29 | 5:00 AM | 5:00 AM UTC | Finished |
Can you watch the Japanese GP free?
- US — practice streams free in the Apple TV app, and a new-subscriber free trial covers a full race weekend.
- UK — Channel 4 airs extended highlights of every race free-to-air, and the British Grand Prix live in full.
- Australia — Network 10 carries the Australian Grand Prix free-to-air.
- Anywhere — official highlights land on Formula 1’s YouTube channel a few hours after each session.
Unofficial streams are unreliable, usually illegal and a common malware vector. Everything listed here is a licensed broadcaster.
What to watch for at Suzuka Circuit
The opening Esses are a rhythm test where a car either flows or does not, and 130R is still taken close to flat. Passing is harder here than the lap time suggests, so qualifying carries real weight. Spring weather at Suzuka is unreliable in the best way — a wet session here is usually the highlight of the early season.
The Japanese Grand Prix is round 3 of the 2026 championship, run on a 5.8 km figure-of-eight lap, the only one on the calendar that crosses over itself, with the Esses and 130R as its signature. The race distance is 53 laps, roughly 307.5 km.
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Japanese GP: quick answers
- What channel is the Japanese Grand Prix on?
- In the United States, Apple TV (exclusive — every practice, qualifying, sprint and race). In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports F1 (every session live). In Canada it is TSN and RDS, in Australia Fox Sports and Kayo, and in most other countries F1 TV Pro carries every session live alongside the local broadcaster.
- What time does the Japanese Grand Prix start?
- Lights out is 5:00 AM UTC on Sunday, March 29, 2026 — Sun, Mar 29 · 1:00 AM in New York, Sun, Mar 29 · 6:00 AM in London and Sun, Mar 29 · 4:00 PM in Sydney.
- Can I watch the Japanese Grand Prix for free?
- In the US, practice streams free in the Apple TV app and new subscribers get a free trial. In the UK, Channel 4 shows extended race highlights free-to-air. In Australia, Network 10 carries the Australian Grand Prix free. Official highlights go up on Formula 1's YouTube channel after every session.
- How many laps is the Japanese Grand Prix?
- The race is scheduled for 53 laps of Suzuka Circuit, about 307.5 km in total.