9 moments you might have missed from the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix

Suzuka is always a special place for drivers and fans alike, and this year was no different as the third round of the season delivered plenty of talking points all weekend long. The energy from the crowd was palpable for all three days of action, making it a memorable return to a historic track.

There was plenty of on-track drama for the third round of the season in Japan, with Kimi Antonelli becoming the youngest Championship leader after securing his second win in a row, Oscar Piastri recovering from his rough season start to take P2, and plenty of shocks and upsets throughout the field. But those weren’t the only stories from the Grand Prix weekend – so here are some off-track moments you should know about...

Ferrari immerses in tradition

Japan, much like Suzuka, is steeped in history and tradition, and one team spent the week immersing themselves into the culture that makes the country so unique. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton made a return to the dojo, having done karate as a child, but this time the stakes were slightly higher.

Legendary samurai artist Tetsuro Shimaguchi, who choreographed fight scenes from the classic movie Kill Bill, showed Hamilton the ropes – an awesome experience for the Briton. In the week leading up to the Grand Prix, the 41-year-old even found time to pull up to a famous Tokyo car meet in a Ferrari F40 – another bucket list activity ticked off.

Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc had a slightly less dangerous tradition to partake in: a tea ceremony dressed in a kimono outfit, which we’re sure is a welcome change of pace for the Monegasque man.

Four-wheel fun

Japanese motorsport fans appreciate their cars year-round, not just when F1 rolls into town, but it’s always a celebration of everything automotive when it’s race weekend. The Racing Bulls duo certainly made the most of their time in Japan, with Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad both enjoying a drifting experience from Mike Whiddett, the Formula Drift Japan Champion.

The occasion was put on by Red Bull to celebrate some of their athletes and Racing Bulls’ special livery, with reserve drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Ayumu Iwasa also present for their home event.

On a slightly smaller track than usual, Esteban Ocon took on Antonelli during Thursday’s media day. It was miniature Haas versus miniature Mercedes as the pair raced remote-controlled cars on the grid – ever the competitors, they certainly looked like they enjoyed the battle!

Cover star Charles

We certainly haven’t been short of Leclerc content recently, as the Ferrari star was on the cover of not one but two fashion magazines this week. Firstly, the 28-year-old became the first person on the cover of the ESQUIRE edition in France, before gracing the cover of Vogue China just a day later – and with a podium on Sunday, the Monegasque has had almost too much to celebrate.

Team bonding bowling

As the senior driver at Mercedes, it seems George Russell has taken over the responsibility of keeping up with old team traditions previously started by Hamilton. On Thursday evening, Russell organised a bowling night for mechanics, engineers, hospitality, and the drivers, of course.

So, when we saw Williams man Carlos Sainz taking part in the fun, we were a tad confused – and so was Russell. The Briton theorised that Sainz must have wanted to take up a new role as Mercedes mechanic – a slight change of pace for Sainz!

The bowling alley was busy all weekend as Hamilton carried his tradition to Ferrari – fortunately on a different day to his old team. Spirits seem high in both camps, as both teams enjoy a stellar start to the season.

Fantastic fans

Creativity is always off the charts when it comes to the fans at Suzuka – check out all the outfits and handmade accessorises from the weekend! We even saw the return of the mini-Lando Norris, Leclerc and Max Verstappen that captured everyone’s hearts in 2025 – the trio enjoyed a weekend to remember, meeting lots of drivers and getting tours of the garages.

Meanwhile, Russell reunited with Sogo, a Mercedes superfan who met the Briton two years ago. Sogo even learnt a few lines of English to impress Russell – an adorable reunion!

The fans at Suzuka once again went all out with their signs, costumes and passion – it's always a special weekend thanks to the incredible people in Japan.

Tokyo tourists

Tokyo is a must-see city – and the drivers love to play the tourist ahead of race weekend. Piastri was in sightseeing mode with partner Lily Zneimer, Lindblad enjoyed the skyscraper views and some shopping, while Ocon couldn’t stop smiling throughout his exploration of the city.

Elsewhere Norris had his eye on some Japanese candy, Pierre Gasly went incognito in a Mario mask and Antonelli fancied some gaming in an arcade before travelling to Suzuka.

Special liveries

Special liveries frequently make an appearance in Japan as teams celebrate the standout event in Suzuka – and this year was no different. Haas and Toho, the Japanese entertainment studio, collaborated to produce a striking Godzilla-themed livery. The ‘King of Monsters’ looked incredible on an F1 car – we weren’t sure Haas could top last year’s Sakura design, but this may have just done it!

Racing Bulls have produced several fan-favourite one-off liveries in recent years, and it looks like they’ve pulled it off again with their ‘Red Bull Spring Edition’-inspired design. The red and white livery incorporates some traditional Japanese shodo elements from calligrapher Bisen Aoyagi – who was inspired by the cherry blossoms that characterise Suzuka.

Mercedes brought their wolf designs from recent merchandise drops to the car in Japan, with a special front wing with grey and black wolf patterns. It's all about ‘unleashing the beast’ for the Brackley team, and it’s working, as they lead both Championships to start the season.

Special helmets

Fans in Japan were also treated to plenty of striking special helmets this weekend. Alex Albon donned a gorgeous Sakura lid, Gasly wanted to embrace imperfection with his kintsugi art-inspired design and Valtteri Bottas wore a helmet covered in iconic Japanese cuisine as designed by his partner Tiffany Cromwell.

Red Bull's Isack Hadjar also shouted out his favourite anime series with his headgear, and the Mercedes duo continued the wolf-theme with a fresh lid and suit combination. Which was your favourite?

Celebs

It was yet another star-studded paddock this weekend, but it was all about the stars of ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ on Sunday. The cast of the movie, based on the famous game produced by the Japanese company Nintendo, were all on the grid before the race, including Jack Black, Anya Taylor-Joy, Brie Larson, Chris Pratt, Benny Safdie, Keegan-Michael Key, and Charlie Day. Taylor-Joy is a good friend of Hamilton, spending plenty of time in the Ferrari garage, while Black had the honour of waving the chequered flag.

The drivers were also in the presence of Japanese royalty, as Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko of Mikasa helped give out the trophies on the podium.