Taking advantage of a stunning scenario, Kimi Antonelli wins in Japan ahead of Piastri and Leclerc, while Russell sees the podium slip away at the end of an eventful race.
Read more Big scare for Bearman at Suzuka: more fear than harm after a 50G crash
The 2026 Japanese Grand Prix began in a particular atmosphere at Suzuka, with a start delayed by ten minutes after a violent accident occurred in a support race. The repairs to the barriers delayed the kick-off, without however disrupting the teams’ overall strategy.
On the grid, Kimi Antonelli started from pole position alongside his teammate George Russell, confirming the dominance of Mercedes. Behind them, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc completed a very ambitious second row.
The tire strategy was clear: almost the entire field opted for medium tires, proof of a consistent reading of the race conditions.
Mercedes in difficulty, Piastri takes advantage
As soon as the lights went out, the hierarchy was totally overturned. Both Mercedes missed their start and were immediately overtaken. Piastri surged into the lead, accompanied by Leclerc and Lando Norris, relegating Antonelli and Russell into traffic.
Quickly, the Italian found his rhythm and moved up gradually, while Russell began a solid comeback to return to the wake of the Australian leader. After a few laps, Piastri controlled the race, but the pressure exerted by Russell remained constant.
Behind, positions were constantly changing, notably between Leclerc, Norris and Antonelli, engaged in a tight struggle for the podium.
The turning point: Bearman’s accident
The race shifted abruptly on the 22nd lap with the spectacular accident of Oliver Bearman at the Spoon curve. Surprised by a slowdown in front of him, the Haas driver made a violent mistake, causing the immediate intervention of the safety car.
This event completely changed the face of the race. Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton took advantage of this neutralization to make their stop at the ideal moment. Thanks to this perfect timing, Antonelli came out in the lead, ahead of Piastri and Russell, totally reversing the initial dynamic.
At the restart, Antonelli did not falter. The young Mercedes driver set a high pace and quickly widened the gap to Piastri. Behind, the battle raged for the places of honor.
Russell, although well-placed, found himself under pressure and lost ground to Hamilton then Leclerc. The Ferrari driver made a decisive move at the end of the race to secure third place after an intense duel.
Further back, Norris and Hamilton also engaged in a fierce battle, while Max Verstappen remained behind, unable to join the fight.
An opportunistic but controlled victory
In the lead, Antonelli perfectly managed his advantage until the checkered flag. The Italian won with authority, thus clinching another victory in Formula 1. Behind him, Piastri confirmed the competitiveness of McLaren with a solid second place, while Leclerc completed the podium after a combative performance.
Russell, despite a promising start to the race, failed at the foot of the podium, victim of an unfavorable scenario and a high-pressure end to the race.
This Japanese Grand Prix will remain an eventful race, where strategy, opportunism and mastery made all the difference at the top.
Read more Oscar Piastri finally opens his account: a second place with the taste of victory
2026 F1 Japanese GP Classification:
