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What time does qualifying for F1 GP Japan 2022 start?

Qualifying for the F1 GP of Japan begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8. So that will be setting your alarm clock! Max Verstappen is still leader in the world championship despite the lackluster weekend in Singapore, although Leclerc did catch up with the Dutchman by 12 points. Verstappen starts qualifying with a 104-point lead over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who in turn is two points ahead of Max’s teammate Sergio Perez.

Times of the F1 GP Japan 2022

Check out the schedule with all the times of the F1 GP Japan 2022 below.

Date	Session	Dutch time
Friday, October 7	1st free practice	05.00 – 06.00
Friday, October 7	2nd free practice	08.00 – 09:30
Saturday, October 8	3rd free practice	05.00 – 06.00
Saturday, October 8	Qualification	08.00 – 09.00
Sunday, Oct. 9	Race	07.00 – 09.00

What happened during the 2019 GP of Japan?

It has been a while since we were in Japan for a Formula One race at Suzuka, as there was no racing on Japanese soil in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. So in 2019, it was for the last time. As good as Sebastian Vettal was on Saturday by taking pole, the German got off to a mediocre start during the start of the race. He immediately lost his spot to Bottas, who started from P3 note. Leclerc, who started from P2, was immediately visited by Verstappen, who had an excellent start from P5. In the second corner after the start, the Dutchman had to take a tap from Leclerc, which later earned him a DNF. The Red Bull had too much damage to finish the race. Leclerc received a five-second penalty for the collision and later an additional 10 seconds for driving dangerously long with the damage to his front wing. The Monegasque eventually finished seventh. Bottas proved untouchable and rode out the race as the winner without any problems. Vettel finished on P2, Briton Hamilton was third.

Verstappen champion in Japan?

If everything had worked out that weekend, Max Verstappen could have become champion as early as Singapore. Those aspirations could go straight into the trash after the disappointing qualifying session. In Japan, the Dutchman will get another chance to win his second consecutive championship. These are the scenarios in which Verstappen becomes world champion.

Simplest scenario: becoming first

If Verstappen scores 8 points more than Leclerc this weekend and 6 points more than teammate Sergio Perez, the Dutchman will be world champion. That is possible when Verstappen wins the race in Japan with the fastest lap behind his name. He then has everything in his own hands and does not depend on the final results of Leclerc and Perez.

Verstappen at P2 or P3

If Verstappen finishes second he can only become champion if he gets the point for the fastest lap, Leclerc finishes no higher than P5 and Perez no higher than P4. If Max does not have a fastest lap, Leclerc is also not allowed to have a fastest lap at P5 (he is if he finishes P6) and Perez is not allowed to have the fastest lap with P4 (he is allowed at P5).

If Verstappen finishes on P3 or P4 with the fastest lap, then Leclerc may not finish higher than P6 and Perez on P5. Does Verstappen not have the fastest lap Leclerc and Perez should be P7 and P6 or lower, respectively.

What do you need to know about Japan?

The Suzuka circuit in Japan is beloved among drivers. It has an ols school vibe, in that it is a fast tight track, without too many run-out lanes. So a mistake is quickly punished. Japan, except for a few years, has almost always had a spot on the Formula One calendar. Funny fact about the circuit is that it was designed by Hans Hugenholtz, the Dutchman circuit designer who also designed Zandvoort, among others. Features of the circuit include the Ferris wheel along the track, the fast winding turns and, of course, the viaduct that allows one part of the track to cross over the other.

Monza in facts and figures:

Official name: FORMULA 1 HONDA JAPANESE GRAND PRIX 2022
Location: Suzuka, Japan
Circuit length: 5.807 km
Number of laps: 53
Number of bends: 18
Total race distance: 307.471 km
Lap record: 1:30:983 Lewis Hamilton (2019)