Get ready for the Japanese Grand Prix with our Race Ready guide, covering everything from the F1 schedule to travelling and accommodation

Welcome to the Race Ready for the 2024 Japanese F1 Grand Prix, taking place in Suzuka, in the Kansai region of Japan, from 5-7 April.

We’re here to ensure you have all the information available at your fingertips to enable you to get the most out of your live motorsport experience. There are still a small number of tickets remaining for the 2024 race – book your Japanese Grand Prix tickets here.

Japanese F1 Grand Prix weekend schedule 

The Japanese Grand Prix has the cheapest Grand Prix ticket on the Formula 1 calendar. But for fans from Europe of the Americas, the choice is between attending the race at Suzuka, or waking up in the early hours to watch it.

Here’s the weekend schedule of the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix, including GMT start times:

FRIDAY 5 APRIL

LOCAL TIME (GMT+9)UK TIME (GMT)SERIESSESSION
09:0000:00FERRARI CHALLENGE JAPANFIRST PRACTICE SESSION
11:3002:30FORMULA 1FIRST PRACTICE SESSION
13:0004:00PORSCHE CARRERA CUP JAPANPRACTICE SESSION
15:0006:00FORMULA 1SECOND PRACTICE SESSION
16:3007:30FERRARI CHALLENGE JAPANQUALIFYING

SATURDAY 6 APRIL

LOCAL TIME (GMT+9)UK TIME (GMT)SERIESSESSION
10:2001:20PORSCHE CARRERA CUP JAPANQUALIFYING SESSION
11:3002:30FORMULA 1THIRD PRACTICE SESSION
13:1004:10FERRARI CHALLENGE JAPANFIRST RACE
15:0006:00FORMULA 1QUALIFYING

SUNDAY 7 APRIL

LOCAL TIME (GMT+9)UK TIME (GMT)SERIESSESSION
09:4500:45FERRARI CHALLENGE JAPANSECOND RACE
11:0502:05PORSCHE CARRERA CUP JAPANRACE
14:0005:00FORMULA 1GRAND PRIX

Support races at the Japanese F1 Grand Prix

There will be no Formula 2 or Formula 3 races during the Japanese Grand Prix. There will however be the Ferrari Challenge and the Porsche Carrera Cup Japan. See times in the timetable above.

As well as support races there will be special events and features throughout the fan zone to keep the whole family entertained.

Suzuka Circuit Map

Use our handy track map to plan your trip as best you can. You can download the image or take a screenshot to have it to hand during the Grand Prix weekend.

Suzuka Circuit Map

Where is the best place to sit at the Japanese F1 Grand Prix? 

It is essential to have your priorities in order when planning your trip to a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Use the map above to help you in your planning.

The Japanese Grand Prix is the cheapest Formula 1 race of the year to attend. However, Japan is a notoriously expensive country to visit, and this will be something to factor into the budget for international race goers

For many people, the best seats in the house at the Suzuka Circuit are the V1 and V2 Grandstands. This is the Main Grandstand from where you will get a good view of the start/finish, the pits and the podium. These seats will be to the higher end of the budget.

The Q1 and Q2 Grandstands are also good options at the top end of the pricing, and are among the most popular across the whole circuit. With views of the final turns (16, 17 and 18) and the famous Casino Triangle chicane, these are also among the very best seats in the house.

More budget friendly options are Sections 1, 2 and 3 in Grandstand D. Here you’ll get a view as the cars come out of turn 5 and burst into Dunlop Curve. Despite being the cheapest grandstand tickets on the calendar, these seats still provide great views of one of the most interesting sections of track.

For more detailed information on where to sit for the Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit, check out our Japanese Grand Prix Grandstand Guide.

Getting to the Japanese F1 Grand Prix track

Getting to Japan for most international racegoers will require an entire day’s travel. Travellers from Europe and the USA should factor in time to recover from jet lag ahead of the race weekend.

From North America, there are direct flights to Tokyo and Osaka from Los Angeles which take around 12 hours. There are also direct flights to Tokyo from Vancouver in Canada, which take around 10 hours.

From major European hubs – including London, Paris and Frankfurt – there are direct flights to Tokyo and Osaka which take around 11 hours.

From Australia, flight time to Tokyo varies between eight and 11 hours.

Getting to Suzuka on public transport

Japan is known for its efficient infrastructure and specifically high-speed trains, so getting around the country can be easy… if not a little pricey. The Suzuka Circuit lies between the cities of Nagoya and Osaka, but most people stay in Nagoya. There are domestic flights to both cities from the major airport of Tokyo, where most intercontinental racegoers will fly into.

There are also trains between Tokyo and Nagoya which take around 2h45m.

The track is located in Inou, Suzuka City. This is the main industrial base of many large companies, such as Honda who own of the Suzuka Circuit.

Trains

The trains in Japan are notoriously efficient and quick. In terms of getting to the circuit, the best station to head for is Shiroko. This is not the closest station, but it is a direct train and linked to the track by shuttle buses, which are clearly signposted in English.

The train provider is Kintetsu and a ticket from Nagoya to Shiroko is around £11. You can buy a five-day pass for around £32, which is recommended for weekend ticket holders.

Japan Trains

Another option is staying in Osaka, but the trains take longer and are more expensive. Osaka to Shiroko will cost about £40 return, and takes around 1h40m. Some trains you will also have to change for and you need to book at least one day in advance. The slower express train from Osaka costs just £12 but the journey takes around 2h30m.

For these reasons, Nagoya is the preferred city for racegoers to base themselves.

Taxi

In general, taxis in Japan are reliable, clean and inexpensive. Short journeys start from around £4.50. Be sure to have your address also written in Japanese somewhere so that you can show your driver.

Suzuka Circuit Track Stats

SUZUKA CIRCUITTRACK STATS
FIRST GRAND PRIX1987
LAP LENGTH5.807 km
LAP RECORD1:30.983 – Lewis Hamilton (2019)
LAPS53
RACE DISTANCE 307.471 km
TURNS18

Where to stay at the Japanese F1 Grand Prix

Nagoya is the stand-out preference for F1 fans attending the race at Suzuka. As mentioned in the public transport section above, the wealth of accommodation options and relative proximity to the track make Nagoya the most convenient option.

Osaka could be useful in terms of flying into the airport from abroad, but you should then be prepared to undertake longer commutes to the track each day.

Here are three examples of hotels close in Nagoya, around an hour’s drive from the Suzuka Circuit,, ranging from budget to luxury options:

Important Information

Emergencies

110 is the number to call the police

119 is the number to call an ambulance or fire service

Good to Know

The local currency is the Japanese Yen (JPY – ¥). The exchange rate is around 1 GBP to 189 JPY. All goods and services are paid in the local currency.

The official language is Japanese.

Prohibited Items at the Suzuka Circuit

Customer Service

If you require assistance during the race weekend, feel free to contact our customer service team who will be on hand to help.

Call: 0208 970 7988

Email: help@motorsporttickets.com

FAQs

If you have some more queries or would like more information, head over to our FAQs section.