How to watch the Japanese Grand Prix 2019 on Sky, Now TV and online
Qualifying had been due to take place Saturday morning but has been pushed back to Sunday ahead of the main race
On Sunday 13 October, Formula 1 takes to the Suzuka Circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix – the 17th race of the season. As the teams journey to Suzuka City, all eyes will be on leading Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.
With just four races left in the 2019 F1 calendar, Hamilton leads teammate Valtteri Bottas by 73 points so, while this is still a substantial lead, it does not guarantee Hamilton victory and the British World Champion will need to avoid any further drops in points.
Hamilton has faced increased competition from Ferrari’s Christan Leclerc in recent races after Leclerc secured his first-ever Formula 1 win during the Belgian Grand Prix earlier in the season and reached the podium in Singapore and Russia.
Bottas joined Hamilton and Leclerc on the podium in Russia, finishing five seconds ahead of Ferrari’s young driver who started the race in pole position. Hamilton’s win at the Sochi Autodrom was his ninth win this season but his first since Hungary.
Bottas has only missed out on a podium place in four of the last 16 races and is the most likely to challenge Hamilton to this year’s World Champion. A result that would be Hamilton’s sixth championship.
The results in Russia have helped Leclerc gain a two-point lead over third-place Max Verstappen, from Red Bull, in the Driver Standings.
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How and where to watch the Japanese Grand Prix 2019
The Japanese Grand Prix takes place from 11-13 October and is broadcast live on Sky Sports Formula One.
Coverage of Practice 1 starts on Friday, 11 October, at 1:45am, for a 2:00am start.
Coverage of Practice 2 starts on Friday, 11 October, at 5:45pm, for a 6:00pm start.
Coverage of Practice 3 starts on Saturday, 12 October, at 3:45am, for a 4:00am start.
Qualifying is on Saturday, 12 October, at 7:00am, with build-up coverage starting an hour earlier at 6:00am. Qualifying highlights will also be available on Channel 4 after the race.
Coverage of The Japanese Grand Prix starts at 5:10am on Sunday, 29 September. The race starts at 6:10am at the Suzuka Circuit.
How to watch the Japanese Grand Prix in the UK: Sky Sports
Sky Sports has the rights for the full race of the Japanese Grand Prix and will be broadcasting it via its Sky Sports F1 channel.
For new customers, a Sky Q box, which includes the Sky Sports Channels, costs £22 a month for 18 months, plus a £20 installation free for the Sky Q box and then £23/mth for 18 months for the Sky Sports package.
The Sky Q package comes with more than 300 Sky TV channels and the option to stream Sky Sports in Ultra HD on compatible TVs. Sky Q also lets F1 viewers watch in split-screen mode.
If you already have a Sky Q box or Sky account, existing Sky customers can upgrade for £30/mth, rather than £23.
If you just want to watch Formula 1 and aren’t interested in other sports, you can buy the Sky Sports F1 channel for £10 a month on top of your £22/mth Sky Q package. This upgrade price is for new and existing customers.
How to live stream the Japanese Grand Prix: Now TV Sports Pass
If you don’t want to sign up for Sky Q, your best bet is a Now TV Sky Sports Pass. Now TV offers a selection of passes based on what you want to watch and to watch the Japanese Grand Prix, you’ll need a Sky Sports Pass. There are three Sky Sports passes available, though, to suit how much sport you want to watch.
- Sky Sports Day Pass for £9.99
- Sky Sports Week Pass for £14.99
- Sky Sports Month Pass for £33.99
Read more about Sky Now TV’s range of passes here.
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How to watch the Japanese Grand Prix abroad with a VPN
It’s not possible to watch the Japanese Grand Prix outside of the UK, even if you’re a Sky subscriber, without a VPN.
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How to watch the Japanese Grand Prix 2019: Highlights
After the race has finished, Channel 4 will air race highlights from the Japanese Grand Prix via the All 4 player on your laptop, mobile or other devices, or through the All 4 app on your TV. It will also put highlights on its main scheduling guide.