Kimi Antonelli Beats George Russell to Secure Second Consecutive Pole at Japanese Grand Prix

Posted : 28 March 2026

Kimi Antonelli has firmly established himself as a world title contender after securing pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix. The 19-year-old Italian carried his winning momentum from Shanghai to the iconic Suzuka circuit, clocking a lap time 0.298 seconds faster than his Mercedes teammate George Russell. This result marks Antonelli's second consecutive pole position in just his debut season. The teenager appeared jubilant over the team radio, celebrating a "clean" session where he improved his pace with every run.

George Russell entered the weekend holding a narrow four-point lead over Antonelli in the drivers' standings. However, the British driver struggled to match the rookie's raw speed throughout the qualifying hour. Russell frequently complained about the handling of his W17, noting that the car felt "nowhere" compared to the morning practice sessions. Despite his frustrations, Russell managed to salvage second place on the grid. He admitted after the session that he felt lucky to start on the front row given the technical difficulties he encountered.

Behind the Mercedes duo, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri continued his strong start to the season by taking third place. He finished just ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who will start fourth. The current world champion, Lando Norris, could only manage fifth, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton took sixth. The session was a disappointing one for the championship leaders, as the Mercedes engine appears to have a clear advantage over the field in the high-speed sectors of the Japanese track.

The biggest story of the day involved Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s ongoing 2026 nightmare. The four-time world champion was eliminated in Q2 and will start a distant 11th for Sunday’s race. Verstappen described his car as "completely undriveable" and was even outpaced by his rookie teammate Isack Hadjar, who qualified eighth. This marks the third consecutive race where Verstappen has failed to reach the final qualifying segment, raising serious questions about Red Bull’s aerodynamic package this year.

Further down the grid, Haas driver Ollie Bearman suffered a surprise early exit and will start 18th. He finds himself ahead of a struggling Aston Martin duo, as both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll failed to escape Q1. With Antonelli starting from the front and Russell breathing down his neck, Sunday’s race at Suzuka promises to be a pivotal moment in the Mercedes intra-team rivalry. The Japanese Grand Prix is scheduled to begin tomorrow as Antonelli hunts for his second career victory.

Kimi Antonelli Beats George Russell to Secure Second Consecutive Pole at Japanese Grand Prix

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