Antonelli storms Suzuka pole
Kimi Antonelli grabbed pole at Suzuka — his second consecutive pole — with teammate George Russell right behind, while Max Verstappen crashed out early in Q2, a rare Red Bull setback ( ). Friday practice suggested a tight fight too: Oscar Piastri topped FP1, underlining Suzuka could produce a strategic, tyre‑sensitive race ( ).
Antonelli’s flying Q3 lap was a 1:28.778 around Suzuka, leaving team mate George Russell 0.298s adrift on the timesheet. (formula1.com) Mercedes have turned their early-season pace into results: George Russell won in Australia and Antonelli converted in Shanghai for back-to-back Mercedes race wins to open 2026. (espn.com) Max Verstappen will start Sunday’s race from 11th after being eliminated in Q2; he radioed that the car was “undriveable” and described his reaction as being “beyond frustrated.” (espn.com) The late shove into the elimination zone came from Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad, who improved to claim P10 and denied Verstappen a Q3 run. (total-motorsport.com) Friday’s second practice underlined variable pace: Oscar Piastri topped FP2 with a 1:30.133 lap, nearly a tenth quicker than Mercedes’ best in that session. (formula1.com) Pirelli brought the three hardest compounds — C1 hard, C2 medium and C3 soft — to Suzuka, with the C1 making its 2026 debut because the resurfaced, low‑grip tarmac and Suzuka’s high loads increase graining and wear risk. (formula1.com)
