Kimi Antonelli pounced on qualifying struggles for Mercedes team-mate George Russell to claim his second successive pole for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Carrying the momentum of his maiden grand prix pole and race win in China a fortnight ago, Antonelli had outpaced Russell in the final two practice sessions at Suzuka and carried that form into qualifying. Russell, meanwhile, reported repeated issues with his car’s rear grip and trailed Antonelli by unusually large margins in Q1 and Q2. Although he closed some of the gap in Q3, Antonelli’s superb 1:28.778 on his first Q3 attempt proved a comfortable 0.298s quicker than his title-leading team-mate’s best.
“What a lap! Three tenths on his team-mate George Russell – very, very impressive,” said Sky Sports F1’s Jenson Button. “I feel we have seen a different Kimi this weekend. He has always been extremely quick but the consistency is there.”
The Mercedes drivers had been unexpectedly challenged by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the first two stages of qualifying before the Silver Arrows pulled clear into an exclusive duel for pole when it mattered. Piastri continued a positive weekend by beating Leclerc to third, with Leclerc fourth after an error at Spoon curve on what had looked like a more promising final attempt. World champion Lando Norris, compromised by unreliability in practice, was fifth in the other McLaren, with Lewis Hamilton sixth in the second Ferrari.
There was fresh disappointment for Max Verstappen, who labelled his Red Bull “undrivable” after dropping out in Q2. On pole at Suzuka over the previous four years, Verstappen will start this year’s race from 11th — three places lower than team-mate Isack Hadjar, who made Q3 in eighth — as the Dutchman struggled with the RB22’s balance and handling. Pierre Gasly beat both Red Bulls again to take an impressive seventh for Alpine, with Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto ninth and British rookie Arvid Lindblad tenth after he knocked Verstappen below the cut line in Q2.
Fellow Briton Oliver Bearman, one of the season’s early standouts, dropped out in Q1 to qualify 18th for Haas ahead of only the Cadillacs and Aston Martins.
Antonelli momentum grows as Russell rues “really strange” qualifying
In a rollercoaster first year of F1 in 2025, teenager Antonelli has outqualified the more-experienced Russell only sporadically but holds an early edge on Saturdays. While Antonelli’s Shanghai pole was helped by a technical problem that briefly stopped Russell on track, he looked the more likely Mercedes driver to top the times at Suzuka after a strong practice showing. A lock-up at the hairpin on his final Q3 lap stopped him going faster, but his earlier Q3 effort was enough.
“I’m super happy with the session. It was a good one, it was a clean one,” Antonelli said. “I felt very good in the car and every run I was improving and improving. A shame for the last lap because of a lock up at Turn 11 but it was a good one. I’m really happy with the session.”
Russell, far from happy, radioed after lapping 0.6s slower than Antonelli in Q2: “I think we’re missing something here. We couldn’t lose this much pace.” He reduced the gap in Q3 to secure the front row but added: “It was a really strange session for us. We were both very fast all weekend. We made some adjustments after FP3, and then at the beginning of qualifying, we were nowhere. So, we need to kind of understand. Very lucky again to be in P2. The last two weekends it’s kind of both gone wrong come qualifying, but the race is tomorrow and there’s still a lot to play for.”
Japanese GP Qualifying: Top 22 (times where provided)
1) Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes — 1:28.778
2) George Russell, Mercedes — +0.298
3) Oscar Piastri, McLaren — +0.354
4) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari — +0.627
5) Lando Norris, McLaren — +0.631
6) Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari — +0.789
7) Pierre Gasly, Alpine — +0.913
8) Isack Hadjar, Red Bull — +1.200
9) Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi — +1.496
10) Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls — +1.541
Knocked out in Q2:
11) Max Verstappen, Red Bull — 1:30.262
12) Esteban Ocon, Haas — 1:30.309
13) Nico Hülkenberg, Audi — 1:30.387
14) Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls — 1:30.495
15) Franco Colapinto, Alpine — 1:30.627
16) Carlos Sainz, Williams — 1:31.033
Knocked out in Q1:
17) Alex Albon, Williams — 1:31.088
18) Oliver Bearman, Haas — 1:31.090
19) Sergio Perez, Cadillac — 1:32.206
20) Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac — 1:32.330
21) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin — 1:32.646
22) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin — 1:32.920
The Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka takes place on Sunday, with build-up and race coverage live on Sky Sports F1.