Antonelli wins Suzuka
Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix — his second straight victory — and, at 19, became the youngest driver to lead the F1 World Championship. (espn.com) He beat Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc after a mid‑race safety car shuffled the order, a weekend that drew heavy highlight coverage and analysis across race reels and qualifying packages. ( )
Antonelli crossed the line 13.722 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri, with Charles Leclerc a further 1.548 seconds back in third according to the official classification timing. (sports.yahoo.com) The drivers’ standings now list Kimi Antonelli on 72 points, George Russell on 63 and Charles Leclerc on 49, while Mercedes lead the Constructors’ table on 135 points to Ferrari’s 90 after Suzuka. (formula1.com) The race’s safety car was deployed after Oliver Bearman’s high‑speed crash at Spoon Curve on lap 22, an impact the teams recorded at roughly 50G; Haas later reported Bearman sustained a right‑knee contusion but no fractures after medical checks. (motorsport.com) Mercedes and F1 race reports detail the key pit‑stop swing: George Russell pitted the lap before the neutralisation, Antonelli pitted under the safety car onto fresh hard tyres and emerged ahead, a sequence that flipped track order. (mercedesamgf1.com) Oscar Piastri led the early laps at Suzuka and recorded his first race finish of 2026 after two back‑to‑back DNS problems in Australia and China, McLaren confirming the squad’s earlier double non‑starts were caused by separate pre‑race issues. (formula1.com) The FIA has opened a formal technical and safety review following Bearman’s crash, signalling regulators will examine the 2026 regulation effects on closing speeds during the scheduled April break. (autosport.com)
