Formula 1 has confirmed the schedule for October’s Japanese Grand Prix, with the race start shifted one hour earlier.
The championship revealed its session times for the bulk of the season earlier this month though the format for the round at Suzuka remained unconfirmed.
On Wednesday Formula 1 officials announced that the Japanese Grand Prix this year will begin at 13:10 local time (04:10 GMT/05:10 BST/06:10 CET), one hour earlier than last year’s race.
Conversely Friday’s practice sessions have been moved one hour later, and will run from 11:00 to 12:30 and from 15:00 to 16:30 local time.
Saturday’s schedule remains unchanged from the planned 2019 format – with FP3 at 12:00 and qualifying at 15:00 – which was ultimately cancelled due to Typhoon Hagibis.
It is the third event to have its race start time altered for 2020, with grands prix in Britain and the USA set to begin one hour later compared to 2019.
F1 2020 schedule (all times local):
| Event | FP1 | FP2 | FP3 | Qualifying | Race |
| Australia | 12:00 | 16:00 | 14:00 | 17:00 | 16:10 |
| Bahrain | 14:00 | 18:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 18:10 |
| Vietnam | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 14:10 |
| China | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 14:10 |
| Netherlands | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 15:10 |
| Spain | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 15:10 |
| Monaco* | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 15:10 |
| Azerbaijan | 13:00 | 17:00 | 14:00 | 17:00 | 16:10 |
| Canada | 11:00 | 15:00 | 11:00 | 14:00 | 14:10 |
| France | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 15:10 |
| Austria | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 15:10 |
| Great Britain | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 15:10 |
| Hungary | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 15:10 |
| Belgium | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 15:10 |
| Italy | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 15:10 |
| Singapore | 16:30 | 20:30 | 18:00 | 21:00 | 20:10 |
| Russia | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 14:10 |
| Japan | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 13:10 |
| United States | 11:00 | 15:00 | 13:00 | 16:00 | 14:10 |
| Mexico | 11:00 | 15:00 | 10:00 | 13:00 | 13:10 |
| Brazil | 11:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 14:10 |
| Abu Dhabi | 13:00 | 17:00 | 14:00 | 17:00 | 17:10 |
*FP1/2 takes place on Thursday
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