Kimi Antonelli wins the Japanese GP ahead of Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc

Kimi Antonelli has won his second F1 race in a row after taking victory at the Japanese Grand Prix.

In a race that was ultimately decided by a pit stop in a safety-car period, Antonelli benefitted the most to finish ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

The 19-year-old’s good fortune came courtesy of Oliver Bearman’s crash for Haas. Antonelli had not made a pitstop at the time of the incident, while Piastri and Mercedes team-mate George Russell had, while his change cost him less time than the others ensuring he could maintain the lead.

Russell, who won the 2026 curtain-raising race in Australia, finished fourth.

Meanwhile, Antonelli – who won last week in China – becomes the youngest driver in history to head the championship and leads his team-mate by nine points.

‘It feels pretty good, it is too early to think about the championship but we are on [a] good way,’ the 19-year-old reflected.

‘In the race, I had a terrible start. Just need to check what happened but then I was lucky with the safety car to be in the lead and then the pace was just incredible.’

Japanese GP Top 10

1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

4. George Russell (Mercedes)

5. Lando Norris (McLaren)

6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

8. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

9. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)

10. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

What’s next?

F1 doesn’t resume now until May due to the ongoing tensions in the Middle East which has resulted in the cancellations of the Bahrain GP and the Saudi Arabia GP. The next event of what is now a 22-race calendar is the first of three visits to the United States this year – the Miami Grand Prix, from May 1-3.