Kimi Antonelli takes pole for Japanese Grand Prix in Mercedes 1-2 as team stamp early dominance

SUZUKA – It is still early in the Formula One season, but Mercedes are already showing their dominance.

On March 28, 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli took pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix ahead of teammate George Russell, as the team tightened their stranglehold on the campaign.

The Silver Arrows have claimed one-two finishes at both grands prix so far in 2026 – in Australia and China which Russell and Antonelli won respectively – and they were again ahead of the field in Suzuka.

Italian Antonelli became the youngest pole-sitter in F1 history two weeks ago in China, and he made it two in a row with a fastest lap of 1min 28.778sec.

Early championship leader Russell was second and 0.298sec behind, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri third and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fourth.

“Super happy with the session, it was a good one, it was a clean one,” said Antonelli, who won in Shanghai for his maiden grand prix victory.

“I felt very good in the car and every run was improving. A shame for the last lap because of a lock-up at Turn 11 but it was a good one. I’m really happy with the session.”

Russell said that he was struggling with his car for most of the qualifying session but still had enough pace to get the job done – a further sign that Mercedes are doing something right.

“We were both really fast all weekend, we made some adjustments and then at the beginning of the qualifying we were nowhere,” said the Briton.

“So, we need to kind of understand. Very lucky again to be in P2. The last two weekends it’s kind of both gone wrong come qualifying, but the race is tomorrow and still a lot to play for.”

Piastri, meanwhile, admitted that McLaren currently do not have the pace to match Mercedes.

“Qualifying has been OK this year. Nice to get into the top three,” said the Australian.

“This weekend we have looked good and we have executed well. We clearly don’t have the pace or the grip to match Mercedes, but we are getting closer.”

McLaren’s world champion Lando Norris was fifth, followed by Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar, Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Arvid Lindblad of Racing Bulls round out the top 10.

Red Bull ace Max Verstappen, who has won the Japanese Grand Prix for the past four years, dropped out in Q2 and will start 11th on the grid. The Dutchman, who crashed out in Q1 in the season-opener in Australia, said that his car was “completely undriveable”.

“The car never turns mid-corner, but at the same time this weekend, it’s just oversteering a lot on entry. It’s really difficult, unpredictable,” said Verstappen, who took pole in 2025 with a track-record lap time.

“We thought we’d fixed it a little bit in FP3, I mean there was still a lot of understeer in the car, but now in qualifying for me it was again undriveable, so that’s something that we need to look at.”

The four-time world champion, who finished sixth in Melbourne and retired from the Chinese Grand Prix, added: “We have problems that I cannot explain in detail here. I think in qualifying it just came back to a point where it became undriveable.”

Esteban Ocon of Haas, Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg, RB’s Liam Lawson, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Williams’ Carlos Sainz also went out in Q2.

Haas driver Ollie Bearman was a surprise elimination in Q1, having finished fifth in China just a week earlier. Cadillac pair Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas went out with him, as did Williams’ Alex Albon and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

The Aston Martin pair, who have yet to complete a grand prix so far this 2026 season as they struggle with extreme vibration, finished bottom of the timesheets.
AFP, REUTERS