ANTONELLI TAKES SECOND POLE IN A ROW WITH DOMINANT LAP
Andrea Kimi Antonelli took pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix, securing his second consecutive pole after his strong performance in China.
The young Italian delivered an impressive lap at Suzuka Circuit, finishing almost three tenths of a second ahead of his teammate George Russell. It was a clear statement of his talent, especially on a demanding track like Suzuka, where driver skill makes a big difference.
Russell had no excuses this time. Unlike in China, where he faced technical issues, this weekend he struggled mainly with car balance, especially oversteer. These problems followed him from practice into qualifying, forcing him to settle for second place while Antonelli looked fully in control.
Behind the two Mercedes drivers, Oscar Piastri secured a strong third position for McLaren. The Australian appeared comfortable on the Japanese track, showing that McLaren has made progress compared to the opening races of the season.
Charles Leclerc managed to take fourth place for Ferrari, despite a significant gap to the front, while Lewis Hamilton finished sixth after struggling with pace, especially in the middle sector where engine power played a key role.
In Q1, Leclerc was the fastest driver after two runs, with Russell close behind despite complaining about the car’s balance. Antonelli also showed strong pace even with a different run plan. Several drivers were eliminated early, including Fernando Alonso and Alexander Albon, as well as both Cadillac entries.
Q2 brought one of the biggest surprises of the session. Antonelli went to the top of the timesheets, while Russell continued to struggle with the rear of the car.
Pierre Gasly and Gabriel Bortoleto impressed with strong laps, but the biggest shock was the elimination of Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver, who had taken pole at Suzuka in recent years, could only manage eleventh place after complaining that his car was very difficult to drive.
Antonelli takes pole
In Q3, Antonelli confirmed his speed. He set the fastest time in the first runs and maintained his position despite not improving on his final attempt. Piastri held on to third place, while Leclerc finished fourth after making a small mistake in the last sector. Hamilton remained in sixth, unable to close the gap to the front.
In the end, Mercedes locked out the front row with Antonelli leading the way, sending a strong message ahead of the race, while Ferrari and Red Bull were left with work to do.
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