Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured a sensational pole position during qualifying for the 2026 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. The young driver delivered an outstanding lap to lead the field, confirming his growing status as one of the most exciting talents on the grid.
Mercedes locked out the front row, with George Russell finishing in second place, just under three tenths behind his teammate. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri completed the top three, underlining the strong performance of the Woking-based team.
Ferrari placed both cars inside the top six, with Charles Leclerc qualifying in fourth position and Lewis Hamilton securing sixth on the grid. Between them, Lando Norris took fifth place, highlighting the close competition among the leading teams.
Further down the order, Pierre Gasly, Isack Hadjar, and Gabriel Bortoleto completed the top ten, followed by Arvid Lindblad in tenth position. Notably, Max Verstappen narrowly missed out on the top ten, ending the session in eleventh place.
The midfield battle remained extremely tight, with several drivers separated by just a few hundredths of a second. Meanwhile, the lower part of the grid saw experienced names like Fernando Alonso and Valtteri Bottas struggling to find pace at the demanding Suzuka circuit.
Japanese GP qualifying results
| Position | Driver | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | 1:28.778 |
| 2 | George Russell | 1:29.076 |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri | 1:29.132 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | 1:29.405 |
| 5 | Lando Norris | 1:29.409 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:29.567 |
| 7 | Pierre Gasly | 1:29.691 |
| 8 | Isack Hadjar | 1:29.978 |
| 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | 1:30.274 |
| 10 | Arvid Lindblad | 1:30.319 |
| 11 | Max Verstappen | 1:30.262 |
| 12 | Esteban Ocon | 1:30.309 |
| 13 | Nico Hülkenberg | 1:30.387 |
| 14 | Liam Lawson | 1:30.495 |
| 15 | Franco Colapinto | 1:30.627 |
| 16 | Carlos Sainz | 1:31.033 |
| 17 | Alexander Albon | 1:31.088 |
| 18 | Oliver Bearman | 1:31.090 |
| 19 | Sergio Pérez | 1:32.206 |
| 20 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:32.330 |
| 21 | Fernando Alonso | 1:32.646 |
| 22 | Lance Stroll | 1:32.920 |
The starting grid for the Japanese Grand Prix is now set.
