Formula 1: How to watch the Japanese Grand Prix on TV and what to know

SUZUKA, Japan (AP) — Here's a guide that tells you what you need to know about the Japanese Grand Prix. It's the third round of the 2025 Formula 1 season.

— In the U.S., ESPN.

— Other countries are listed here.

— Sunday: The Japanese Grand Prix, 53 laps of the 5.807-kilometer (3.608-mile) Suzuka circuit.

The Suzuka track first hosted F1 in 1987 and is a favorite with drivers and fans for its fast and technical layout. Owned by Honda, it's the only track on the F1 calendar in a figure-of-eight layout, using a bridge to cross over itself. The timing of the Japanese Grand Prix moved to the spring — cherry blossom season — last year, which means cooler weather, and there is an 80% chance of rain in the forecast for Sunday. Max Verstappen won the 2024 race at Suzuka in dominant style from then-teammate Sergio Perez.

Oscar Piastri won the Chinese Grand Prix from pole for McLaren, with teammate Lando Norris second and George Russell third for Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton won the sprint race in his first major success since joining Ferrari, but he and teammate Charles Leclerc were disqualified from the Grand Prix the following day. It was Liam Lawson's second and last race for Red Bull before the team dropped him last week in favor of Yuki Tsunoda, who will be at his home race in Japan.

Get caught up:

— Max Verstappen takes pole position for Sunday's race

— Lewis Hamilton tempers expectations as he settles in with Ferrari

— Storylines for the Japanese GP are as fleeting as the cherry blossoms this time of year

— McLaren’s Oscar Piastri wins Chinese GP from teammate Lando Norris. Both Ferraris disqualified

— Ferrari vows to fix ‘mistakes’ that disqualified Hamilton: 5 takeaways from the Chinese Grand Prix

— Red Bull drops Liam Lawson and replaces him with Yuki Tsunoda

— Lando Norris: McLaren is ready for a title fight between its drivers

— Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is having a cultural impact far beyond Formula 1

3 — McLaren has won three consecutive F1 races for the first time since 2012. A fourth win in a row would be the team's best run in 20 years.

28 — Piastri has scored at least one point in every one of the last 28 race weekends dating to Brazil in November 2023.

17 — Ahead of Saturday qualifying in Japan, Ferrari had just 17 constructors' points after its double disqualification in China and is already 61 behind McLaren in the standings. Williams also has 17 but the team is much more satisfied after often racing at the back last year.

Max Verstappen of Red Bull will start from pole position after turning in the top time in qualifying on Saturday on his final lap. Norris will start alongside Verstappen with teammate Piastri on the second row with Leclerc.

“Very unexpected. We just kept making improvements. The last lap was just flat out” — Verstappen on his last-lap performance to win pole.

“We know realistically the McLarens are exceptionally strong, and I think it’s going to be challenging for anybody else to compete with them. But you know, we saw last year how dominant Red Bull were, and suddenly they weren’t at the end of the season" — Russell.

“Our performance compared to McLaren is just not good enough" — Leclerc.

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McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain speaks with his crews after the third practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands prepares to drive during the third practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the qualifying session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, Pool)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates after qualifying session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia prepares to drive his car during the first practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during the second practice session for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain waves to his supporters after qualifying session for the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia, McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain and Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain celebrates on the podium after the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix race at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo)

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia celebrates after winning the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix race at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo)

FILE - Red Bull driver Liam Lawson of New Zealand during the drivers portrait photo session ahead of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake, File)

Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda of Japan responds to a journalist's question during a news conference at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Thursday, April 3, 2025, ahead Sunday's Japanese Formula One Grand Prix race. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda of Japan, center, flanked by Kick Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg of Germany, left, and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco, responds to a journalist's question during a news conference at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Thursday, April 3, 2025, ahead Sunday's Japanese Formula One Grand Prix race. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

NEW YORK (AP) — Victor Wembanyama sat in Gramercy Park on Sunday and drew the statue of 19th-century Shakespearean actor Edwin Booth.

It was “not bad, pretty good,” Wembanyama said. Turns out, it was the perfect mind-clearing activity that helped him shake off his miss at the buzzer in Game 2 and take over Game 3 of the NBA Finals, preventing the San Antonio Spurs from getting pushed to the brink of elimination.

“I really tried to relax,” Wembanyama said. “The playoffs is like a whirlwind. It’s hard to put your head out of the water, and sometimes it’s like I don’t even (have) to watch the game back, by the way. I just need a little time off, let my brain cool down and recover — recover as much for the body as for the mind.”

Wembanyama made the first two shots he attempted on Monday night on the way to scoring 32 points in a 115-111 victory at the New York Knicks. He had nine points in the first five minutes, including an alley-oop on the first basket of the game and a dunk on the next possession

Coach Mitch Johnson said getting the ball to Wembanyama inside was not a strategy different than any other game.

“We never told Victor don’t shoot an open 3-point shot, even if it’s early in the game,” Johnson said. “We wanted to put pressure on the paint and the rim.”

Wembanyama was a force on both ends of the court, especially late when it mattered most.

After delivering the pass to Keldon Johnson for his layup that tied the score at 76 with 5:38 left in the third, Wembanyama hit a 3-pointer from 29 feet out to put the Spurs ahead. He scored the first basket of what turned into a dominant fourth quarter, later drawing a foul and making a pair of free throws for San Antonio’s 99th and 100th points.

“Wemby played great,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “He had probably seven lob dunks because we didn’t follow attention to detail and try to take that away.”

With four minutes left and the Knicks looking to stage another comeback, the 7-foot-4 big man from France surged to block what looked to be an easy layup by Landry Shamet.

Wembanyama finished with eight rebounds, six assists and three blocks in what was close to a must-win situation. No team has fallen behind 3-0 in the finals and come back to win the series.

“I don’t think any of us are surprised or expect anything different than a strong performance and him being on his front foot in terms of being in attack mode,” Mitch Johnson said.

Teammates were not at all worried about Wembanyama in the aftermath of the 22-year-old star clanking a shot off the rim that would have been the Game 2 winner. Johnson said his recommendation was to shoot again and made clear the Spurs want the ball in Wembanyama's hands at important moments.

Before the game, Brown said of containing Wembanyama, "You hope you can make him work at the end of the day, and you hope he misses some shots.”

Wembanyama missed seven shots from the floor, going 11 of 18 and silencing the crowd that at one point directed a vulgar chant his way. Asked if he was becoming the latest New York villain, he quipped: “I guess. I’m nowhere near Trae Young level, though.”

He could surpass the longtime Atlanta Hawks and now-Washington Wizards guard as soon as Game 4 Wednesday, when Wembanyama gets the chance to help the Spurs try to even the series in Game 4 back at Madison Square Garden.

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San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) passes as New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson defends during the first half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama is introduced prior to Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama, left, tries to drive past New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns during Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) pulls down a rebound over New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) dunks as New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) looks on during the second half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)