Pole Position Fantasy LeagueSuzuka (Japanese Grand Prix) F1 Fantasy Guide: Best Picks & Past Results
Suzuka Circuit is a permanent racing circuit in Suzuka, Japan (5.807 km, 18 turns, clockwise) that has held 36 Formula 1 World Championship races. It hosts the Japanese Grand Prix 2026, round 3, with session times, what PPFL managers picked and results on the Grand Prix page.
Suzuka fantasy guide: what the numbers say
- Qualifying decides a lot here: 9 of the last 10 winners started on the front row. In PPFL a pole is worth 10 qualifying points before the race starts.
- Finishers gain 0.6 places on average from grid to flag (+2 PPFL points per place, up to +10).
- 10.8% of starters failed to finish here (a DNF costs 5 PPFL points).
- Top PPFL scorer here in 2026: Kimi Antonelli with 44 points.
Overtaking, qualifying and reliability at Suzuka
From the last 10 races here (2015–2026):
- Average places gained, grid to finish: 0.6 per classified finisher; 48.9% of finishers gained places. Biggest climb: Daniel Ricciardo, P15 to P4 in 2018.
- How much qualifying matters: 8 of 10 winners started from pole, 9 from the front row and 10 from the top 3. Grid-to-finish correlation: 0.85 (1.00 would mean every finisher ended where they started).
- DNF rate: 10.8% of starters (22 retirements from 204 starts, 2.2 per race).
Top PPFL fantasy scorers at Suzuka
2026: Japanese Grand Prix 2026
| Driver | Grid | Finish | PPFL pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimi Antonelli | P1 | P1 | 44 |
| Oscar Piastri | P3 | P2 | 30 |
| Charles Leclerc | P4 | P3 | 26 |
| George Russell | P2 | P4 | 19 |
| Lando Norris | P5 | P5 | 15 |
2025
| Driver | Grid | Finish | PPFL pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | P1 | P1 | 39 |
| Lando Norris | P2 | P2 | 30 |
| Oscar Piastri | P3 | P3 | 25 |
| Charles Leclerc | P4 | P4 | 18 |
| Kimi Antonelli | P6 | P6 | 17 |
PPFL points before the captain bonus; earlier seasons are scored with the current PPFL rules.
Past winners and pole sitters at Suzuka
| Year | Winner | Started | Pole |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) | P1 | Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) |
| 2025 | Max Verstappen (Red Bull) | P1 | Max Verstappen (Red Bull) |
| 2024 | Max Verstappen (Red Bull) | P1 | Max Verstappen (Red Bull) |
| 2023 | Max Verstappen (Red Bull) | P1 | Max Verstappen (Red Bull) |
| 2022 | Max Verstappen (Red Bull) | P1 | Max Verstappen (Red Bull) |
| 2019 | Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) | P3 | Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) |
| 2018 | Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) | P1 | Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) |
| 2017 | Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) | P1 | Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) |
| 2016 | Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) | P1 | Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) |
| 2015 | Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) | P2 | Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) |
Driver of the Day at Suzuka
The fan-voted Driver of the Day at every race here since the vote began.
- 2026: Oscar Piastri (27.4% of the vote)
- 2025: Yuki Tsunoda (23.7% of the vote)
- 2024: Charles Leclerc (23.8% of the vote)
- 2023: Oscar Piastri (28.2% of the vote)
- 2022: Sebastian Vettel (16.3% of the vote)
- 2019: Valtteri Bottas (20.8% of the vote)
- 2018: Daniel Ricciardo
- 2017: Max Verstappen
- 2016: Max Verstappen
Racing here this year: the Japanese Grand Prix 2026. Check prices and form on the F1 fantasy Price Form before teams lock at the start of FP1.