Image: from BP • Boletim do Paddock X @diznoboletimque
By Open Chronicle Staff with Agencies
SUZUKA, Japan — The rising star of Formula 1, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, continued his meteoric ascent on Saturday by clinching pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix. The 19-year-old Italian showcased the composure of a veteran, leading a dominant Mercedes front-row lockout at the historic Suzuka Circuit.
Fresh off his maiden victory in China two weeks ago, Antonelli delivered a blistering lap of 1m 28.778s during the final qualifying session (Q3). His performance was enough to edge out teammate and current championship leader George Russell by 0.298 seconds, marking the team’s third consecutive front-row lockout of the 2026 season.
“I felt very good in the car, and every lap was improving,” a serene Antonelli said following the session. “I’m super happy with the session; it was a clean one. Now the focus is entirely on tomorrow.”
Kimi Antonelli secures the @pirellisport Pole Position Lap in Japan! 😮💨
Let's ride onboard with the Mercedes driver for his lap of the iconic Suzuka 🤩👇#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/OjprLk00PE
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 28, 2026
While Mercedes celebrated, the session was defined by a massive upset for Red Bull. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who has dominated Suzuka in recent years, had a shock exit in Q2. Struggling with balance and what he described as an “unpredictable” car, Verstappen could only manage 11th on the grid, finishing behind Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri secured third place, trailing the lead Mercedes by 0.354 seconds. Despite being unable to match the Silver Arrows’ raw pace, Piastri expressed optimism about McLaren’s recovery following a disastrous double-retirement in China.
“We clearly don’t have the pace or the grip to match Mercedes yet, but we are getting closer,” Piastri remarked. “It’s nice to be in the top three and starting the race from a strong position.”
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will join Piastri on the second row in fourth, followed by Lando Norris (McLaren) and Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari). Further down the order, Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto secured a respectable ninth place for Audi, continuing his solid debut season.
The Japanese Grand Prix has historically favored the polesitter, with eight of the last 12 winners starting from P1. If Antonelli converts his pole into a win on Sunday, he stands to overtake Russell for the lead in the Drivers’ Championship. However, with the 2026 technical regulations making the cars more nimble, yet Suzuka remaining notoriously narrow, the start will be critical.
“It’s not going to be easy,” Antonelli warned. “The track is tight, and overtaking here is much harder than in China or Melbourne. A good start is everything.”
The race is scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM local time on Sunday.