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The Formula 1 season continues this weekend with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, the third race of the 2026 campaign and the last one before the April break caused by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix. It is a traditional race weekend with no sprint event, which means three free practice sessions before qualifying and the race itself.
A Tough Weekend for European Fans
Suzuka operates on Japan Standard Time, which puts it nine hours ahead of Central European Time. That creates some very early morning viewing for fans in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe. The practice sessions fall in the middle of the night, and even the headline sessions start at 7:00 in the morning. It is one of the realities of a truly global calendar.
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Full Session Schedule (Central European Time) Friday 27 March Free Practice 1: 03:30 - 04:30 Free Practice 2: 07:00 - 08:00 Saturday 28 March Free Practice 3: 03:30 - 04:30 Qualifying: 07:00 - 08:00 Sunday 29 March Japanese Grand Prix: 07:00
Where to Watch in the Netherlands
Formula 1 coverage in the Netherlands is split between two paid streaming platforms. Viaplay and F1 TV Pro both carry the full race weekend, including build-up programmes and post-race analysis around every session. Viaplay is the only option offering Dutch-language commentary and presentation, which makes it the natural choice for most local fans.
German broadcaster RTL aired a number of races free-to-air last year, reaching viewers in the Netherlands through the German signal. That arrangement has not been repeated so far in 2026 due to ongoing sub-licensing negotiations that have not yet been completed.
What to Watch For at Suzuka
For Max Verstappen, Suzuka arrives at a critical moment. He is currently eighth in the championship and needs a strong result to close the gap to the leaders before the break. Mercedes are the team to beat, with Russell leading the standings and Antonelli sitting second after his China win. Ferrari will be looking to challenge at a circuit that traditionally suits their car, and the midfield battle for points has been tight all season.
The Suzuka circuit is one of the most technically demanding on the calendar, and the 2026 rules are yet to be tested in these conditions. It should make for an interesting weekend.
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