How to watch Japanese Grand Prix 2025: TV & live streams, schedule, start time, channel, practice continues

Oscar Piastri leads McLaren teammate Lando Norris at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix
Can the dominant McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris make it three from three at Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix? (Image credit: Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Watch Japanese Grand Prix live streams to see if McLaren can top the podium for the third successive race of the 2025 Formula 1 season.

Today's Practice 2 gives teams the chance to try out various strategies before the official races to come.

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have won the first two races of the year, and they’ll be looking to continue their team’s 100% record at Suzuka’s famous figure-of-eight circuit.

Max Verstappen, meanwhile, will fancy his chances of recording his first victory of the 2025 F1 season and his fourth Japanese GP win in four years.

The Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will be just as eager to make up ground after their disqualifications in China a fortnight ago – despite Hamilton’s Sprint Race win.

And Yuki Tsunoda will be out to impress in his home GP following his move across the paddock to take Liam Lawson’s seat at Red Bull.

Here’s a quick guide to how to watch Japanese Grand Prix live streams from anywhere – including options to watch the Formula 1 action for free.

Can I watch the Japanese Grand Prix for free?

Formula 1 live streams are behind a paywall in many countries, but lucky motor racing fans in Austria and Belgium can watch the Japanese Grand Prix (including qualifying sessions) for free.

Viewers in Austria can tune in on ORF , while Belgian viewers can watch Japanese Grand Prix live streams on RTBF Auvio.

Away from home? Use NordVPN to watch your regular stream from anywhere..

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How to watch the Japanese Grand Prix from anywhere

Austrian or Belgian motorsport fans traveling or working overseas will need to use a VPN to access free Japanese Grand Prix F1 streams.

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How to watch Japanese Grand Prix live streams online in the US

US viewers can watch the Japanese Grand Prix live on ESPN. It’ll mean staying up late because the race starts at 1am ET (Sunday) / 10pm PT (Saturday).

Even if you don’t have cable there’s no need to worry about missing the third race of the F1 season, because you can access ESPN via OTT provider Sling TV. You’ll need Sling Orange to watch ESPN, which will cost you $46/month, though new users usually save 50% on their first month.

Thursday night’s first practice session (10.30pm ET) is available on ESPNews and streaming services ESPN Plus and Disney Plus, with the second practice session (2.00am ET on Friday morning) on ESPN2. Friday night’s practice session (10.30pm ET) is on ESPNews, ESPN Plus and Disney Plus, while qualifying (2.00am ET on Saturday morning) is on ESPN2.

Every grand prix of the 2025 F1 season will air on Disney-owned ESPN platforms, with races shared between ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. The five ABC races are also available on ESPN Plus.

ESPN Deportes will broadcast Spanish language coverage, while ESPN Plus will offer two alternative viewing options for every race: a live, interactive driver tracker, and an on-board cameras channel that switches between different drivers’ perspectives throughout the race. As it has in previous seasons, ESPN’s F1 coverage will feature some of Sky Sports’ programming from the UK.

And if you want to tune in on the move, iOS and Android users in the US can watch Japanese Grand Prix live streams via the F1 TV Pro app. It costs $10.99/month or $84.99/year. Or splash out on F1 TV Premium for 4K streams.

If you have access to any of these services but are currently out of the country, you can use NordVPN to log in to all your home subscriptions and watch as normal.

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Watch Japanese Grand Prix live streams in the UK

Sky Sports has the rights to every race weekend of the Formula 1 season. You can currently get Sky Sports F1 for £20/month on top of your regular Sky TV subscription, and you also have the option to watch the action in up to 4K.

Another place you can watch the Japanese Grand Prix is streaming service Now Sports , which gives you access to 12 Sky Sports channels and on-demand content – though, sadly, not in 4K. It usually costs £34.99/month but is currently available for £26.00/month if you sign up for six months. You also have the option of a £14.99 Day Membership if you just want to watch the Japanese Grand Prix.

If you don’t mind tuning in a bit later, extended highlights of the Japanese Grand Prix will be available for free on Channel 4 at 1pm BST on Sunday afternoon. It’s available via both terrestrial TV and the Channel 4 streaming service, but remember that you’ll need a valid UK TV Licence to tune in.

Out of the country? A VPN such as NordVPN can help you to access your usual subscriptions from anywhere.

Where to watch the Japanese Grand Prix in Australia

Formula 1 fans down under can watch every race of the Formula 1 season on Kayo Sports and Fox Sports.

A subscription to Kayo Standard costs $25/month, but you’ll have to pay $40/month if you want to watch the F1 action in 4K. A 7-day free-trial is available.

Fox Sports' F1 live streams are available through Foxtel.

Going to be outside Oz during the Japanese Grand Prix? Simply download NordVPN to gain access from overseas.

Watch Japanese Grand Prix F1 streams in India

F1 fans in India can watch the entire F1 season – including the Japanese Grand Prix – via the Fancode website and app. Plans start at 49 rupees (around 57 cents) per race.

Japanese Grand Prix 2025 timetable

Japanese Grand Prix 2025 timetable

Friday, April 4

  • Practice 1 1.30pm AEDT / 3.30am BST / 10.30pm ET (Thursday)
  • Practice 2 5.00pm AEDT / 7.00am BST / 2.00am ET

Saturday, April 5

  • Practice 3 1.30pm AEDT / 3.30am BST / 10.30pm ET (Friday)
  • Qualifying 5.00pm AEDT / 7.00am BST / 2.00am ET

Sunday, April 6

  • Race 3.00pm AEST / 6.00am BST / 1.00am ET

Formula 1 2025 schedule

Round 1: Australia, March 14-16

Round 2: China, March 21-23

Round 3: Japan, April 4-6

Round 4: Bahrain, April 11-13

Round 5: Saudi Arabia, April 18-20

Round 6: Miami, May 2-4

Round 7: Emilia-Romagna, May 16-18

Round 8: Monaco, May 23-25

Round 9: Spain, May 30-June 1

Round 10: Canada, June 13-15

Round 11: Austria, June 27-29

Round 12: Great Britain, July 4-6

Round 13: Belgium, July 25-27

Round 14: Hungary, August 1-3

Round 15: Netherlands, August 29-31

Round 16: Italy, September 5-7

Round 17: Azerbaijan, September 19-21

Round 18: Singapore, October 3-5

Round 19: United States, October 17-19

Round 20: Mexico, October 24-26

Round 21: Brazil, November 7-9

Round 22: Las Vegas, November 20-22

Round 23: Qatar, November 28-30

Round 24: Abu Dhabi, December 5-7

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Richard Edwards

Richard is a freelance journalist specialising in movies and TV, primarily of the sci-fi and fantasy variety. An early encounter with a certain galaxy far, far away started a lifelong love affair with outer space, and these days Richard's happiest geeking out about Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel and other long-running pop culture franchises. In a previous life he was editor of legendary sci-fi and fantasy magazine SFX, where he got to interview many of the biggest names in the business – though he'll always have a soft spot for Jeff Goldblum who (somewhat bizarrely) thought Richard's name was Winter.

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