Japanese Grand Prix: What time does it start, TV channel, odds, predictions, track guide & latest F1 standings

Formula 1 heads to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton looks to strike another significant blow in the title race having increased his lead over Sebastian Vettel to 34 points in Malaysia virtue of a second-placed finish behind Max Verstappen.

Here, we have everything you need to know ahead of the big race...

Contents

1. Japanese Grand Prix schedule & TV times
2. Pit Lane Insider Tips & Sky Bet Odds
3. Track guide & statistics
4. Latest F1 standings
5. 2017 season schedule & results

Japanese Grand Prix: Weekend Schedule & TV Guide

All times BST

Friday October 6

• Practice 1: Click for report & times
• Practice 2: Click for report & times

Saturday October 7

• Practice 3: Click for report & times
• Qualifying: Click for report & times

Sunday October 8

• Race: 0600

TV Coverage

You can watch all the sessions of the Japanese GP weekend live on Sky Sports F1 while Channel 4 will have race highlights at 1400 GMT on Sunday

Japanese Grand Prix: Sky Bet odds

PRICE BOOST: Lewis Hamilton to win & set the fastest lap at 9/4 from 6/4

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton headed into the weekend as Sky Bet's 11/8 favourite to win the Japanese Grand Prix and he's now 1/3 after securing pole position Suzuka.

Sebastian Vettel is next in the running at 11/4 while the only other realistic contenders are Hamilton's Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas (16/1) and Red Bull duo Daniel Ricciardo (20/1) and Max Verstappen (22/1).

Click here for all of Sky Bet's Japanese Grand Prix odds

Japanese Grand Prix tips: F1 Pit Lane insider

Podium Finish - Daniel Ricciardo 10/11

You can argue that Red Bull have the best chassis on the gird at the moment, so the fast corners of Suzuka should play right into their hands and although he didn’t have the pace in Sepang last week, Daniel Ricciardo still brought his car home for 3rd place there. A second podium of the week could well be on the cards for the Australian.

Points Finish - Pierre Gasly 2/1

The Frenchman did a fine job on his debut last week, but admitted that he had a lot to learn throughout the weekend. Well, if he’s a fast learner and a fast driver, that could well translate into a Top 10 finish at a track he has recent experience of, as he’s been competing in Super Formula in Japan this season.

Top 6 Finish - Sergio Perez 6/4

After being ill all week in Malaysia, Sergio did a terrific job to finish in the Top 6 in severe conditions for the drivers, even if you’re feeling 100%. Once again Force India should be poised to capitalise should any one from the leading 3 teams have problems and Perez is in such fine form at the moment, he should be the one to take advantage.

Japanese Grand Prix: Track guide

• Venue: Suzuka
• Circuit length: 5.807km
• Laps: 53
• Race distance: 307.471km
• Number of corners: 18 (8 left/10 right)
• Lap record: 1:31.540 (Kimi Raikkonen, 2005)
• 2016 pole position: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 1:30.647
• 2016 winner: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
• 2016 fastest lap: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 1:35.118
• Tyre compounds to be used: supersoft, soft, medium
• Bumpiness: low
• Overtaking chance: low
• Engine severity: high
• Brake wear severity: very low
• Number of safety cars deployed since 2009: Seven

Japanese Grand Prix: Statistics

• Red Bull had both drivers on the podium at the Malaysian Grand Prix as Verstappen won and Daniel Ricciardo came third - it was the first time since the same race in 2016 that both drivers finished inside the top three.
• Stoffel Vandoorne picked up back-to-back seventh-placed finishes in Singapore and Malaysia - the McLaren rookie has leapfrogged team-mate Fernando Alonso in the championship as a result.
• Pierre Gasly made his F1 debut for Toro Rosso in Sepang, out-qualifying team-mate Carlos Sainz before finishing 14th in the race.
• Last season's Japanese Grand Prix was the last race won by reigning F1 champion Nico Rosberg, who went on to finish second in the final four races of the year before announcing his retirement.
• Only 10 circuits have hosted more Formula One grands prix than Suzuka, which first welcomed the sport in 1987 and returned to the calendar in 2009 after Fuji hosted the Japanese Grand Prix for two years.
• Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen is the only man to win the Japanese Grand Prix from lower than sixth on the grid, taking victory from 17th in 2005 while at McLaren.
• McLaren are the most successful constructor in the history of the Japanese Grand Prix with nine victories - two of which came at Fuji.
• Japan has been the location where 12 drivers' championships have been decided - James Hunt (1976) was the first man crowned champion here with Sebastian Vettel (2011) the last.

Updated F1 Drivers' Championship standings

1. Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 281pts
2. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 222
4. Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Red Bull 177
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 93
7. Sergio Perez (Mex) Force India 76
8. Esteban Ocon (Fra) Force India 57
9. Carlos Sainz (Spa) Scuderia Toro Rosso 48
10. Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Renault 34
11. Felipe Massa (Bra) Williams 33
12. Lance Stroll (Can) Williams 32
13. Romain Grosjean (Fra) Haas F1 26
14. Stoffel Vandoorne (Bel) McLaren 13
15. Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 11
16. Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren 10
17. Jolyon Palmer (Gbr) Renault 8
18. Pascal Wehrlein (Ger) Sauber-Ferrari 5
19. Daniil Kvyat (Rus) Scuderia Toro Rosso 4

Updated F1 Manufacturers' Championship standings

1. Mercedes GP 503pts
2. Ferrari 385
3. Red Bull 270
4. Force India 133
5. Williams 65
6. Scuderia Toro Rosso 52
7. Renault 42
8. Haas F1 37
9. McLaren 23
10. Sauber-Ferrari 5

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THIS SEASON'S REPORTS, RESULTS AND STANDINGS