What weather for the Japanese Grand Prix?

Will the rain play spoilsport this Sunday for the return of the Japanese Grand Prix? It's more than likely! While free practice 1 and 2 were run entirely on a wet track with the use of wet and intermediate tires, Saturday brought dry weather and saw Max Verstappen take pole position ahead of the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

What weather can we expect for Sunday's race? The forecasts from Météo France, the FIA's meteorological partner, have been fairly stable in recent hours. They are currently planning a dry start, with a percentage chance of precipitation estimated at around 40% around 14 p.m., at the time of departure.

Rain expected at end of Grand Prix

However, rain could appear around 15 p.m., halfway through the race, with a probability of 50%. Finally, as the day progresses, rain will set in with a 60% chance of precipitation at the end of the Grand Prix, around 16 p.m. The advantage for the teams was that they were able to work in the rain on Friday and gain crucial information on the matter. 

Max Verstappen and Red Bull seem the fastest in the dry and in the wet. © Antonin Vincent / DPPI

In the event of a dry start and the arrival of rain, this could have the effect of making the race more difficult and showcasing the talent of the strategists of the different teams. If the 2022 season has been fruitful in sessions contested in the wet, there has not yet been a start in the dry with the subsequent arrival of showers, as was the case in Sochi last year. Response this Sunday at 7 a.m. French time, to find out the identity of the successor of Sebastian Vettel.