WEEKEND BRIEF · ROUND 3

Japanese Grand Prix

2026-03-29 · Suzuka Circuit · Data through round 2

Share weekend brief ↗

Circuit note

The track profile and previous results at this venue.

Suzuka Circuit · mixed

Overtaking guide

Historical frequency

81 F1-reported overtakes per Grand Prix

81 reported overtakes across 1 sourced race (2023). Coverage: 1 of 35 completed Grands Prix — not a full-history average.

Rating: insufficient data. At least 3 sourced races are required.

tenthz’s guide uses historical reported counts. Weather, strategy, field size and regulations affect the totals; this is not an official F1 rating or a prediction for the next race.

Definition, coverage and race totals

Average = sum of all sourced Grand Prix totals divided by the number of sourced races. Each race counts once. Missing totals are excluded, never counted as zero. We do not add separate Sprint totals. Hard means under 30, Medium 30 to under 60, and Easy 60 or more reported overtakes per race. These are fixed tenthz editorial bands, not a ranking against a changing sample of circuits.

Source: F1’s “Need to Know” race previews. The published totals are reproduced as reported; those articles do not specify all counting exclusions. We do not infer them from finishing positions or OpenF1 position swaps. Years and layouts may differ from today’s circuit; a source check does not establish complete historical coverage.

Sourced Grand Prix totals — newest first
Race	Reported overtakes	Source
2023 · Japanese Grand Prix	81	F1 race preview ↗

Read the post-race recap ↗

Circuit history and previous experience

Circuit history

Results from earlier Grands Prix at this venue.

Earlier Grands Prix35

Wins from pole / known grids19 / 35

From grid to finish

Drivers finished 2.31 places ahead of their starting position on average.

Across 552 classified driver results in 35 Grands Prix (1987–2025).

Finished ahead of grid63% (346/552)
Kept starting position17% (94/552)
Finished behind grid20% (112/552)

These are start-to-finish changes, not a count of on-track overtakes. Pit stops, penalties and retirements ahead can all affect the result.

How this is calculated

Starting grid position minus official classified finishing position. P10 to P7 is a gain of three places. Each eligible driver result counts once; unclassified results, disqualifications, non-starters and unknown grids are excluded. This describes historical results, not how easy it is to overtake. Circuit layouts and regulations may differ across the years shown.

Explore the circuit receipts ↗

Circuit overperformers

Drivers with stronger results here than across the season.

Driver	Circuit avg.	Season avg.	Difference
Sergio Pérez10 circuit finishes	7.8	15.5	7.7
Alexander Albon2 circuit finishes	6.5	12	5.5
Valtteri Bottas9 circuit finishes	8.22	13	4.78
Max Verstappen8 circuit finishes	2.5	6	3.5
Lance Stroll5 circuit finishes	14	17	3
Carlos Sainz7 circuit finishes	9.29	12	2.71
Nico Hülkenberg8 circuit finishes	9.5	11	1.5
Esteban Ocon7 circuit finishes	11.71	12.5	0.79
Isack Hadjar1 circuit finishes	8	8	0
Lewis Hamilton14 circuit finishes	3.86	3.5	-0.36
Charles Leclerc5 circuit finishes	4.2	3.5	-0.7
Lando Norris5 circuit finishes	6	5	-1
Oliver Bearman1 circuit finishes	10	6	-4
Liam Lawson2 circuit finishes	14	10	-4
Andrea Kimi Antonelli1 circuit finishes	6	1.5	-4.5
Pierre Gasly7 circuit finishes	12.57	8	-4.57
George Russell5 circuit finishes	8.6	1.5	-7.1
Gabriel Bortoleto1 circuit finishes	19	9	-10

How this is calculated

Positive difference means better historical official finishes here than the season average through R2. Small samples and changing cars limit comparisons.

Since last year at this circuit

Last visit results alongside this season’s average finish.

Last visit versus this season

Alexander Albon finished P9 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P12.0.

Fernando Alonso finished P11 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is unavailable.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli finished P6 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P1.5.

Oliver Bearman finished P10 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P6.0.

Gabriel Bortoleto finished P19 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P9.0.

Pierre Gasly finished P13 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P8.0.

Isack Hadjar finished P8 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P8.0.

Lewis Hamilton finished P7 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P3.5.

Nico Hülkenberg finished P16 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P11.0.

Liam Lawson finished P17 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P10.0.

Charles Leclerc finished P4 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P3.5.

Max Verstappen finished P1 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P6.0.

Lando Norris finished P2 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P5.0.

Esteban Ocon finished P18 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P12.5.

Oscar Piastri finished P3 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is unavailable.

George Russell finished P5 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P1.5.

Carlos Sainz finished P14 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P12.0.

Lance Stroll finished P20 here last year; their 2026 classified-finish average is P17.0.

How this is calculated

Latest 2025 race at this circuit, compared with classified finishes through round 2. Race results are the source.

How this is calculated

Suzuka Circuit is a mixed circuit (provisional classification). A midfield comparison needs at least two qualifying races of this type.

Sourced weekend updates

Confirmed updates with links to their original sources.

No sourced updates published for this round yet.

See all news ↗

Sessions

Results from completed sessions this weekend.

FP1

FP1 · Session classification
Pos	Driver	Lap time	Gap
1	George RUSSELL	1:31.666	—
2	Kimi ANTONELLI	1:31.692	+0.026
3	Lando NORRIS	1:31.798	+0.132
4	Oscar PIASTRI	1:31.865	+0.199
5	Charles LECLERC	1:31.955	+0.289
6	Lewis HAMILTON	1:32.040	+0.374
7	Max VERSTAPPEN	1:32.457	+0.791
8	Liam LAWSON	1:32.529	+0.863
9	Esteban OCON	1:32.601	+0.935
10	Arvid LINDBLAD	1:32.665	+0.999
11	Gabriel BORTOLETO	1:32.759	+1.093
12	Nico HULKENBERG	1:32.798	+1.132
13	Isack HADJAR	1:32.803	+1.137
14	Oliver BEARMAN	1:32.900	+1.234
15	Pierre GASLY	1:32.978	+1.312
16	Franco COLAPINTO	1:33.361	+1.695
17	Carlos SAINZ	1:33.383	+1.717
18	Alexander ALBON	1:33.697	+2.031
19	Sergio PEREZ	1:34.221	+2.555
20	Valtteri BOTTAS	1:34.490	+2.824
21	Lance STROLL	1:35.294	+3.628
22	Jak CRAWFORD	1:36.362	+4.696

FP2

FP2 · Session classification
Pos	Driver	Lap time	Gap
1	Oscar PIASTRI	1:30.133	—
2	Kimi ANTONELLI	1:30.225	+0.092
3	George RUSSELL	1:30.338	+0.205
4	Lando NORRIS	1:30.649	+0.516
5	Charles LECLERC	1:30.846	+0.713
6	Lewis HAMILTON	1:30.980	+0.847
7	Nico HULKENBERG	1:31.441	+1.308
8	Alexander ALBON	1:31.496	+1.363
9	Oliver BEARMAN	1:31.498	+1.365
10	Max VERSTAPPEN	1:31.509	+1.376
11	Esteban OCON	1:31.532	+1.399
12	Liam LAWSON	1:31.590	+1.457
13	Carlos SAINZ	1:31.608	+1.475
14	Pierre GASLY	1:31.734	+1.601
15	Isack HADJAR	1:31.759	+1.626
16	Gabriel BORTOLETO	1:31.933	+1.800
17	Franco COLAPINTO	1:32.438	+2.305
18	Valtteri BOTTAS	1:32.615	+2.482
19	Fernando ALONSO	1:33.596	+3.463
20	Sergio PEREZ	1:33.689	+3.556
21	Lance STROLL	1:33.951	+3.818
22	Arvid LINDBLAD	—	—

Some lap times are not available yet.

FP3

FP3 · Session classification
Pos	Driver	Lap time	Gap
1	Kimi ANTONELLI	1:29.362	—
2	George RUSSELL	1:29.616	+0.254
3	Charles LECLERC	1:30.229	+0.867
4	Oscar PIASTRI	1:30.364	+1.002
5	Lewis HAMILTON	1:30.383	+1.021
6	Lando NORRIS	1:30.600	+1.238
7	Nico HULKENBERG	1:30.658	+1.296
8	Max VERSTAPPEN	1:30.910	+1.548
9	Gabriel BORTOLETO	1:31.000	+1.638
10	Pierre GASLY	1:31.082	+1.720
11	Isack HADJAR	1:31.094	+1.732
12	Liam LAWSON	1:31.097	+1.735
13	Arvid LINDBLAD	1:31.288	+1.926
14	Esteban OCON	1:31.326	+1.964
15	Oliver BEARMAN	1:31.558	+2.196
16	Alexander ALBON	1:31.733	+2.371
17	Franco COLAPINTO	1:31.759	+2.397
18	Carlos SAINZ	1:31.829	+2.467
19	Valtteri BOTTAS	1:32.503	+3.141
20	Sergio PEREZ	1:32.540	+3.178
21	Lance STROLL	1:33.485	+4.123
22	Fernando ALONSO	1:33.529	+4.167

Q · Session classification
Pos	Driver	Lap time	Gap
1	Kimi ANTONELLI	1:28.778Q3	—
2	George RUSSELL	1:29.076Q3	+0.298
3	Oscar PIASTRI	1:29.132Q3	+0.354
4	Charles LECLERC	1:29.405Q3	+0.627
5	Lando NORRIS	1:29.409Q3	+0.631
6	Lewis HAMILTON	1:29.567Q3	+0.789
7	Pierre GASLY	1:29.691Q3	+0.913
8	Isack HADJAR	1:29.978Q3	+1.200
9	Gabriel BORTOLETO	1:30.274Q3	+1.496
10	Arvid LINDBLAD	1:30.319Q3	+1.541
11	Max VERSTAPPEN	1:30.262Q2	+1.214
12	Esteban OCON	1:30.309Q2	+1.261
13	Nico HULKENBERG	1:30.387Q2	+1.339
14	Liam LAWSON	1:30.495Q2	+1.447
15	Franco COLAPINTO	1:30.627Q2	+1.579
16	Carlos SAINZ	1:31.033Q2	+1.985
17	Alexander ALBON	1:31.088Q1	+1.173
18	Oliver BEARMAN	1:31.090Q1	+1.175
19	Sergio PEREZ	1:32.206Q1	+2.291
20	Valtteri BOTTAS	1:32.330Q1	+2.415
21	Fernando ALONSO	1:32.646Q1	+2.731
22	Lance STROLL	1:32.920Q1	+3.005

Race

Race · Finishing order
Pos	Driver	Fastest lap	Gap
1	Kimi ANTONELLI	1:32.432	—
2	Oscar PIASTRI	1:32.996	+13.722
3	Charles LECLERC	1:32.634	+15.270
4	George RUSSELL	1:32.549	+15.754
5	Lando NORRIS	1:33.208	+23.479
6	Lewis HAMILTON	1:32.777	+25.037
7	Pierre GASLY	1:33.691	+32.340
8	Max VERSTAPPEN	1:33.552	+32.677
9	Liam LAWSON	1:34.230	+50.180
10	Esteban OCON	1:34.256	+51.216
11	Nico HULKENBERG	1:33.732	+52.280
12	Isack HADJAR	1:33.837	+56.154
13	Gabriel BORTOLETO	1:34.164	+59.078
14	Arvid LINDBLAD	1:34.314	+59.848
15	Carlos SAINZ	1:34.514	+65.008
16	Franco COLAPINTO	1:34.512	+65.773
17	Sergio PEREZ	1:35.637	+92.453
18	Fernando ALONSO	1:36.221	+1 lap
19	Valtteri BOTTAS	1:36.269	+1 lap
20	Alexander ALBON	1:33.427	+2 laps
NC	Lance STROLLDNF	1:37.217	—
NC	Oliver BEARMANDNF	1:35.604	—

How this is calculated

Positions follow the session classification. Practice times are each driver’s best lap. Qualifying shows the last timed segment reached; its gap is to that segment’s leader. Race and Sprint show each driver’s fastest valid lap, with the finishing gap to the winner in seconds or laps. Deleted and pit-out laps are excluded. Missing values remain blank. Results update after telemetry import and the next site release.

Numbers to know

The results and milestones that frame this weekend.

Historical finishing rates and qualifying vs finish

Compare the grid’s season results and recent finishing form.

Season

Circuit type

Window


Andrea Kimi AntonelliMercedesSmall sample: fewer than 5 starts	2	50.0% (1/2)	100.0% (2/2)	100.0% (2/2)	100.0% (2/2)	0.0% (0/2)	0.00	1.50	1.50	1.50	21———
George RussellMercedesSmall sample: fewer than 5 starts	2	50.0% (1/2)	100.0% (2/2)	100.0% (2/2)	100.0% (2/2)	0.0% (0/2)	0.00	1.50	1.50	1.50	12———
Lewis HamiltonFerrariSmall sample: fewer than 5 starts	2	0.0% (0/2)	50.0% (1/2)	100.0% (2/2)	100.0% (2/2)	0.0% (0/2)	1.50	5.00	5.00	3.50	43———
Charles LeclercFerrariSmall sample: fewer than 5 starts	2	0.0% (0/2)	50.0% (1/2)	100.0% (2/2)	100.0% (2/2)	0.0% (0/2)	0.50	4.00	4.00	3.50	34———
Alexander AlbonWilliamsSmall sample: fewer than 5 starts	1	0.0% (0/1)	0.0% (0/1)	0.0% (0/1)	0.0% (0/1)	0.0% (0/1)	3.00	15.00	15.00	12.00	12DNS———
Fernando AlonsoAston MartinSmall sample: fewer than 5 starts	2	0.0% (0/2)	0.0% (0/2)	0.0% (0/2)	0.0% (0/2)	100.0% (2/2)	—	17.50	18.00	—	DNFDNF———
Arvid LindbladRB F1 TeamSmall sample: fewer than 5 starts	2	0.0% (0/2)	0.0% (0/2)	0.0% (0/2)	50.0% (1/2)	0.0% (0/2)	2.00	12.00	12.00	10.00	812———
Oliver BearmanHaas F1 TeamSmall sample: fewer than 5 starts	2	0.0% (0/2)	0.0% (0/2)	50.0% (1/2)	100.0% (2/2)	0.0% (0/2)	5.00	11.00	11.00	6.00	75———
Gabriel BortoletoAudiSmall sample: fewer than 5 starts	1	0.0% (0/1)	0.0% (0/1)	0.0% (0/1)	100.0% (1/1)	0.0% (0/1)	1.00	10.00	10.00	9.00	9DNS———
Valtteri BottasCadillac F1 TeamSmall sample: fewer than 5 starts	2	0.0% (0/2)	0.0% (0/2)	0.0% (0/2)	0.0% (0/2)	50.0% (1/2)	6.00	19.00	19.50	13.00	DNF13———

How this is calculated

Historical finishing rates: counts / starts. Points rate means P1–P10 classified finishes. DNS excluded; DNF includes retirements and disqualifications. Circuit filtering happens before the last-5/10 window; fewer starts use the available sample. Averages exclude missing positions; average finish uses classified results. Last 5 reads the latest five recorded results for this circuit filter, oldest to latest, including DNS. Rate denominators remain starts only.

Teammate battles 2026

Current pairings, head to head through the latest completed round.

Team · current pairing	Qualifying	Race
Alpine F1 TeamFranco Colapinto — Pierre Gasly	0–2	0–2
Aston MartinFernando Alonso — Lance Stroll	1–0	0–0
AudiGabriel Bortoleto — Nico Hülkenberg	1–1	0–0
Cadillac F1 TeamValtteri Bottas — Sergio Pérez	1–1	1–0
FerrariLewis Hamilton — Charles Leclerc	1–1	1–1
Haas F1 TeamOliver Bearman — Esteban Ocon	2–0	2–0
McLarenLando Norris — Oscar Piastri	0–2	0–0
MercedesAndrea Kimi Antonelli — George Russell	1–1	1–1
RB F1 TeamArvid Lindblad — Liam Lawson	0–2	1–1
Red BullIsack Hadjar — Max Verstappen	0–1	0–0
WilliamsAlexander Albon — Carlos Sainz	0–1	1–0

How this is calculated

Left driver–right driver, shared team rounds through R2; race score requires both classified, qualifying requires both positions. A new pairing may have no shared sample.

Active scoring streaks

The longest current runs of points-scoring finishes.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman and Pierre Gasly and Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc and George Russell: 2 consecutive points-scoring finishes, the longest active streak this season.

View streak receipt

Driver	Consecutive points finishes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli	2
Oliver Bearman	2
Pierre Gasly	2
Lewis Hamilton	2
Charles Leclerc	2
George Russell	2
Franco Colapinto	1
Isack Hadjar	1
Liam Lawson	1
Carlos Sainz	1
Fernando Alonso	0
Arvid Lindblad	0
Valtteri Bottas	0
Nico Hülkenberg	0
Max Verstappen	0
Esteban Ocon	0
Sergio Pérez	0
Lance Stroll	0

How this is calculated

Season-only P1–P10 classified finishes through round 2. Drivers missing that round are excluded from active streaks.

Recent form LAST 2 ROUNDS

Grand Prix points and wins across the recent rounds.

Driver	GP points	Wins
Andrea Kimi Antonelli	43	1
George Russell	43	1
Charles Leclerc	27	0
Lewis Hamilton	27	0
Oliver Bearman	16	0
Lando Norris	10	0
Pierre Gasly	9	0
Max Verstappen	8	0
Liam Lawson	6	0
Arvid Lindblad	4	0

How this is calculated

Grand Prix points only, rounds 1, 2. Sprint points excluded.

Reliability watch

Drivers’ recorded non-finishes this season.

Driver	DNF / starts	Rate
Fernando Alonso	2 / 2	100.0%
Isack Hadjar	1 / 2	50.0%
Lance Stroll	1 / 2	50.0%
Max Verstappen	1 / 2	50.0%
Valtteri Bottas	1 / 2	50.0%
Andrea Kimi Antonelli	0 / 2	0.0%
Arvid Lindblad	0 / 2	0.0%
Carlos Sainz	0 / 2	0.0%
Charles Leclerc	0 / 2	0.0%
Esteban Ocon	0 / 2	0.0%

How this is calculated

All non-finishes, including accidents and exclusions; not exclusively mechanical failures.

Title race

Championship gaps and the latest available title scenarios.

Round-by-round gap in recorded points

The gap between the top two has grown in 0 of the last 1 round-to-round changes.

Round	Points leader	Gap
1	russell	7
2	russell	4

How this is calculated

Cumulative recorded Grand Prix and sprint points. This is a results-points trace; historical championship penalties, dropped scores and tie-break timing are not stored. Leaders can change between rounds.

The title race

Historical projections unavailable: official per-round standings and penalty timing are not stored. View the current verified title state ↗