@MercedesAMGF1’s #Antonelli Takes Stunning Pole At 2026 #JapaneseGP Qualifying. #F1
Andrea Kimi Antonelli celebrates securing pole position for the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, leading a Mercedes front-row lockout. Image credit to Sam Bloxham/LAT Images. Antonelli Japanese GP Pole, 2026 Japanese GP Qualifying Results.
Antonelli Japanese GP Pole – Andrea Kimi Antonelli clinched the second pole position of his career pipping team-mate George Russell in a Mercedes front-row lockout at the Japanese Grand Prix as McLaren’s Oscar Piastri completed the top three.
Antonelli displayed his dominance on Silver Arrows team-mate Russell so far this weekend, with the Bologna-born-Italian faster than his elder in the last two free practice sessions as well as Q2 – by six tenths – and Q3 – by three.
In Q3, the initial hot-laps saw Antonelli the first to head out on-track and the Italian registered the benchmark of a 1:28.778 whilst Russell slotted into second to be 0.298 seconds down.
Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto ended up third and 1.870 down as Alpine’s Pierre Gasly jumped the Audi driver with his 1:30.294 effort.
Norris then moved up into third and 0.631 down before being pipped by team-mate Piastri’s 1:29.132.
Hamilton despite a purple sector one and two personal bests ended up 0.789 seconds off Antonelli’s provisional pole time as Leclerc posted a 1:29.434 to beat his Ferrari team-mate Hamilton in fifth.
The final flyers saw Antonelli once again the first to lead the pack out and the Mercedes driver with a personal best in sector one, suffered a lock-up at the Casio Hairpin and could not improve on his final flyer as Russell also was unable improve on his last hot-lap to spoil his team-mate’s party to take pole.
Reigning world champion Norris could only remain fourth whilst his McLaren team-mate Piastri remained in third with two personal best efforts to end up 0.354 seconds adrift of Antonelli with his 1:29.132 flying lap.
Leclerc despite the best sector one time, suffered a snap of oversteer out of Spoon Curve to end up 0.627 off Antonelli’s pole time with his 1:29.405 effort and be fourth on the grid splitting the two McLarens.
Norris wounded up fifth and in-front of Hamilton who qualified sixth and Gasly who followed in seventh.
The sole Red Bull of Isack Hadjar was next in eighth as Audi’s Bortoleto and RB’s Arvid Lindblad rounded out the top ten.
In the middle segment, which was topped by Antonelli, Lindblad made the shock of the session eliminating four-time world champion Max Verstappen out of Q2 and pipped the Dutchman by 0.153 seconds and the Red Bull drivers starts tomorrow’s Japanese Grand Prix in 11th.
Haas’s Esteban Ocon ended up 12th overall setting three personal bests and ahead of Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg who had a horrible sector three and could not improve, wounding up 13th.
The other RB of Liam Lawson was next in 14th and ahead of Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Williams’ Carlos Sainz who were the slowest of the Q2 eliminatees in 15th and 16th respectively.
In the first qualifying stage, which was topped by Leclerc, a late improvement from Colapinto sent Williams’ Alexander Albon out of Q1 meaning the Thai-Briton driver will start the Japanese GP 17th. Albon missed out on a Q2 appearance by 0.157 seconds.
Haas’s Oliver Bearman was the shock elimination wounding up 18th and in-front of Cadillac duo Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas who were 19th and 20th respectively.
Aston Martin pairing Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll brought up the rear.
You can see the full Formula 1 Aramco Japanese Grand Prix 2026 Qualifying Results Classification at the link: FORMULA 1 ARAMCO JAPANESE GRAND PRIX 2026 – QUALIFYING
2026 Japanese GP Qualifying – The Top Three
2026 Japanese GP Pole Position – Andrea Kimi Antonelli, #12, Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team, F1 W17 – 1:28.778:
“I’m super happy with the session, was a good one, was a clean one.”
2nd Place – George Russell, #63, Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team, F1 W17 – 1:29.076:
“We were fast all weekend, but at the beginning of Qualifying we were nowhere. But the race is tomorrow, so all to play for.”
3rd Place – Oscar Piastri, #81, McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team-Mercedes, MCL40 – 1:29.132:
“This weekend we have looked good and executed well. We still don’t have the pace or grip to challenge Mercedes, but we are getting closer.”
