Find out all the details for the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix qualifying session, including start times and how to watch in your region.
Friday at Suzuka served up a glimpse into what could unfold in qualifying and the race itself. Red Bull looked strong, with championship leader Max Verstappen topping the timesheets in FP1 by a convincing margin over team-mate Sergio Perez.
READ MORE: Japanese Grand Prix: Latest F1 qualifying results here
Ferrari were hot on their heels, with Carlos Sainz just over two tenths behind Verstappen. The Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton provided a glimpse of potential but ultimately finished further adrift, rounding out the top five.
Adding a touch of local flavour, Japanese youngster Ayumu Iwasa, filling in for Daniel Ricciardo in FP1 in front of his home crowd, put in a respectable performance, finishing a solid P16.
The session wasn't without its drama, though, with Williams' Logan Sargeant suffering a crash that ruled him out of FP2. This came after he missed the Australian Grand Prix weekend as the team opted to hand his car to Alex Albon.
READ MORE: F1 Japanese Grand Prix weather forecast - rain begins to impact at Suzuka
FP2 saw a shift in the order, with a resurgent McLaren taking centre stage in a rain-hit session. Oscar Piastri laid down a blistering time to claim P1. Hamilton, seemingly having found more pace in his Mercedes, came a close second.
Before we head into the all-important qualifying session, drivers will have one last chance to fine-tune their setups in FP3, with the promise of a thrilling battle for pole position looming large.
READ MORE: Verstappen drops F1 future BOMBSHELL ahead of Japanese GP
Japanese Grand Prix Qualifying - Saturday, April 6, 2024
Local time (Japan): 3pm Saturday
UK time: 7am Saturday
Central European Time (CEST): 8am Saturday
United States (EDT): 2am Saturday
United States (CDT): 1am Saturday
United States (PDT): 11pm Friday
Australia (Melbourne): 5pm Saturday
South Africa: 8am Saturday
How to watch the Japanese Grand Prix live on TV today
The answer depends on your location. Here's a breakdown of how to catch the action in some major countries:
United Kingdom: Sky Sports
United States: ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Japan: Fuji TV, DAZN
Australia: Fox Sports, Foxtel, Kayo, Network Ten
Netherlands: Viaplay, Viaplay Xtra
Italy: Sky Italia
Spain: DAZN F1
Canada: RDS, RDS 2, TSN, Noovo
Germany: Sky Deutschland
France: Canal+
Belgium: RTBF, Telenet, Play Sports
Mexico: Fox Sports Mexico
Singapore: beIN SPORTS
Hungary: M4 (MTVA Sports Channel)
China: CCTV, Shanghai TV, Guangdong Television Channel, Tencent
Brazil: Bandeirantes, Bandsports
Austria: Servus TV, ORF
Middle East & Turkey: beIN SPORTS
Africa: SuperSport
Latin America: ESPN
F1TV Pro also carries coverage of the sport, depending on which territory you are in.
READ MORE: F1 on TV: The definitive guide to how to watch the 2024 season live


