The race featured dramatic shifts in momentum, primarily driven by a high-impact crash and strategic tire calls.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri surged from third to take the lead into Turn 1, while the Mercedes duo of Antonelli and George Russell suffered slow starts. F1 Japanese GP
On Lap 22, Haas' Oliver Bearman suffered a 50G impact at Turn 13 after a high-speed speed differential incident with Franco Colapinto. The resulting Safety Car gifted Antonelli a "cheap" pit stop, allowing him to leapfrog leaders who had already pitted under green-flag conditions. The race featured dramatic shifts in momentum, primarily
The at Suzuka Circuit was won by Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli , who made history as the youngest driver to ever lead the Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship. Antonelli secured his second consecutive victory of the season despite a poor start that initially saw him drop from pole position to sixth. Race Summary and Key Moments The resulting Safety Car gifted Antonelli a "cheap"
Defending champion Max Verstappen endured a "midfield battle," failing to reach Q3 and finishing a distant eighth behind Alpine's Pierre Gasly. 2026 Japanese Grand Prix Final Classification Time/Retired Kimi Antonelli 1:28:03.403 Oscar Piastri Charles Leclerc George Russell Lando Norris Lewis Hamilton Pierre Gasly Max Verstappen Liam Lawson Racing Bulls Esteban Ocon
With this win, 19-year-old Antonelli became the youngest-ever championship leader, surpassing previous records and leading teammate George Russell by nine points.