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Saturday
Formula One
6am (all Sat times GMT)Japanese Grand Prix qualifying
Mercedes and Ferrari have adapted best to Formula One’s most radical change in power and chassis in more than a decade. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have won each of the first two races, and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have flip-flopped finishing third and fourth. Mercedes and Ferrari are the favorites on Suzuka’s figure-eight, a vastly different circuit from Australia – a street course in Melbourne – and Shanghai. Suzuka is old-school – narrow, twisting with only one major straight for passing. Hamilton has won the Japanese GP five times, four times at Suzuka as he surges back near the top of the standings after two races. Philip Cornwall keeps pace with qualifying, with Giles Richards reporting from Suzuka.
Football
8am-12.15pmMatchday live
There may be no Premier League fixtures this weekend but football never rests, and Billy Munday rises early to keep the updates flowing. He’ll be looking forward to all the international and domestic action, and fishing for follow-up from Friday’s England international at Wembley against Uruguay, managed by the former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa. Later, Scotland meet Japan in another World Cup warm-up, while there’ll be plenty of interest in the League One and Two programme, plus a big day in the Women’s Super League with three derby match-ups. Why not join the conversation?
Women’s Super League
1.30pmManchester United v Manchester City live
A derby collision of the WSL’s top two clubs, with Andrée Jeglertz’s pacesetters still glowing from a 5-2 thrashing of Spurs, thanks to Khadija Shaw scoring the quickest hat-trick in WSL history in the first half. United, meanwhile, picked up three points in their last league outing against Everton but were beaten 3-2 in midweek by Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Women’s Champions League quarter-final. Xaymaca Awoyungbo helms the live blog, and Tom Garry reports from Old Trafford.
International football
5pmScotland v Japan live
It’s four months since Scotland’s 4-2 monumental defeat of Denmark at Hampden Park sparked elation north of the border as Steve Clarke’s side sealed a place at a World Cup finals for the first time in nearly three decades. Japan’s visit for a friendly provides the Scotland head coach with the chance to fine-tune his squad before joining the Tartan Army’s summer jaunt in north America. With only club games remaining before the squad is named in May, there are a host of players eager to make an impression and earn the right to don a dark blue shirt against Brazil, Morocco and Haiti in Group C. Scott Murray hosts the live blog, with Ewan Murray reporting from Glasgow.
Women’s Super League
5.30pmArsenal v Tottenham live
Renée Slegers’ hosts sit one place above Spurs in fourth in the table, separated by six points, and – unbeaten in the league since October – are firmly in the groove. A 3-1 defeat of Chelsea in the first leg of their Women’s Champions League quarter-final followed a 5-0 drubbing of West Ham in the league, with Chloe Kelly in sparkling form. Martin Ho’s team, meanwhile, have lost their past two matches and have beaten the Gunners just once, their previous meeting ending in a goalless draw at Brisbane Road in November. Rob Smyth is at the blog controls for the north London derby as Sophie Downey reports from the Emirates.
Sunday
Fomula One
6am (all Sun times BST)Japanese Grand Prix live
Oscar Piastri has raised the prospect of a first non-Mercedes victory of the season after he finished fastest in Friday’s practice. McLaren have struggled after winning last season’s drivers’ championship with Lando Norris, but they failed to even start the race two weeks ago in China with engine and electrical faults. The Japanese Grand Prix is only the third race of the new Formula One season, but it will be the last one for five weeks with events in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia called off because of the war in the Middle East. The next F1 race is not until 3 May in Miami so the team in papaya orange will be looking to make an impression before the five-week break. Joey Lynch helms our lap-by-lap coverage, and Giles Richards reports.
Football
8am-12pmMatchday live
Emillia Hawkins is back on the beat as our unmissable football blog lines up Sunday’s action, as well as looking forward to England’s next World Cup warm-up assignment against Japan on Tuesday. There’ll also be buildup to three WSL fixtures, with breaking news and all the vibes from around the grounds. Email [email protected] with your views.
Women’s Super League
12pmChelsea v Aston Villa live
Of Sunday’s three WSL fixtures, the most compelling comes at Kingsmeadow as third-placed Chelsea meet an Aston Villa team who beat Leicester in their previous fixture after drawing against league leaders Manchester City. Sonia Bompastor’s Blues are off the pace in the title race and were beaten in the Champions League by London rivals Arsenal on Tuesday and, while Aggie Beever-Jones is the latest player to join Sonia Bompastor’s injury list, there is the prospect of Sam Kerr’s return after the Asian Cup. Daniel Harris hosts the blog.
