Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) will start from pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, his second in a row after that won in China a fortnight ago, where he became the youngest pole sitter in F1 history.
On the demanding Suzuka circuit, the 19-year-old prodigy beat his teammate George Russell, current world championship leader. Australian Oscar Piastri (McLaren) completes the top 3.
The session was marked by Max Verstappen’s failure. The Dutchman, although expected at the front, missed his Q3 with an imperfect lap, relegating him further back on the grid than expected. A notable underperformance on a route where precision is essential.
Mercedes thus confirms its rise in power, while Red Bull will have to react in the race to hope to limit the damage in the face of increasingly threatening competition.
