Japanese Grand Prix 2025 Weather Update: Wet conditions expected at Suzuka – good or bad news?

After Australia, another wet and wild race is on the cards at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen secured pole position on Saturday, setting the stage for the final race at Suzuka. According to the weather forecast, there are chances of rain during the race, which has made his fans even more confident about his victory. However, it's difficult to predict what will happen at the Suzuka Circuit , as it’s not just Verstappen in the race—McLaren’s Lando Norris is also a strong contender and is high on confidence after winning the rain-affected race in Melbourne.

A rainy race day on the cards at the Japanese Grand PrixThe race will start at 2 p.m. local time. It will take place over 53 laps of the 5.807-kilometre Suzuka Circuit and is expected to last around 2 hours.

According to the weather forecast shared by the FIA, showers are likely in the morning, which could dampen the dry grass. The temperature is expected to be higher than on the first two days, hovering around 17 degrees Celsius. After the morning showers, it may become a bit cloudy, with slightly reduced chances of rain during the race. However, the timing of the rain is unpredictable, and track conditions could fluctuate between wet and dry throughout the day.

The storm and rain in Australia had overturned race strategies for many, resulting in multiple incidents and crashes on the wet track. In Japan, there's more to worry about than just the track. The frequent grass fires during practice sessions and qualifying race left drivers frustrated due to multiple red flags and the loss of precious time. Drivers may lose sleep over the weather prediction for Sunday, but many Formula 1 fans are expecting a more unpredictable and exciting race.

Anyone packed an umbrella? ☔️

Here's the forecast for the rest of the weekend in Japan 🇯🇵#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/7vPrFOToV5

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 4, 2025

As the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of Formula 1 asked the fans, “Anyone packed an umbrella?” many expressed their desire to see a wet race. One fan tweeted, “That would make things interesting.” Another wrote, “I would actually like to see a wet race. More chances to see Max coming out on top.” “Oh, exciting... Australia repeat?” asked a fan. One fan also said sarcastically, “At least the grass won’t burn.” Another comment read, “What’s with F1 scheduling races on every rainy weekend? Get it together, FIA.”

Also Read: Grass Fires at the Japanese Grand Prix: Causes, concerns and why current efforts aren't enough

Many, including Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri, struggled in the rain-hit season opener in Melbourne. Whether Max Verstappen will overpower Norris again with a magical lap in the Sunday race remains to be seen.