19-year-old sensation Kimi Antonelli achieves F1 history after winning Japanese GP
Kimi Antonelli won his second consecutive F1 race after winning the Japanese GP. The Mercedes driver created an all-time historical record in the sport as he now leads the title race from teammate George Russell.
Mercedes young sensation Kimi Antonelli has etched his name into the history books after winning the Japanese GP with a stellar drive in Suzuka on Sunday, March 29. The 19-year-old Italian has now won back-to-back races after having won the Shanghai GP a couple of weeks ago, and he now leads the F1 title race.
Antonelli has 72 points and leads the title race from his teammate George Russell by nine points. He has now become the youngest ever driver to lead a Formula 1 championship, breaking the previous record of Lewis Hamilton.
Piastri takes second, Leclerc holds third
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who got off to a flying start when the lights went out in Suzuka, settled for second place. Ferrari man Charles Leclerc fended off a strong challenge from Russell and took third ahead of the Briton, while defending champion Lando Norris was fifth ahead of Hamilton's Ferrari.
"It's too early to think about the championship, but we're in a good way," Antonelli said after the race. "I got a terrible start. I just need to check what happened. Definitely, it's been (the starts) a weak point this year and I need to improve that because you can easily win or lose races with that."
Mercedes lead constructors' race in early domination
Mercedes have been the early trendsetters this season, and they lead the constructors' battle with 135 points. Ferrari is a distant second with 90 points. Both their drivers had secured one and two in the previous two races. Russell finished second in China two weeks ago and won the season-opening race in Australia, giving Mercedes victories in the first three races of the 2026 season.
In Japan, Antonelli started on pole with Russell alongside him, but neither made a strong start. Piastri overtook both into the first corner and took the early lead.
However, Antonelli and Mercedes once again demonstrated their strength with the new 2026 car setup, which features an even 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical battery power. The cars are also lighter, narrower, and shorter than last year’s models—changes that have drawn criticism from many drivers as the most radical regulation shift in a decade.
Antonelli overcomes poor start
Despite a poor start that dropped him to sixth after the opening lap, Antonelli fought his way back through the field. He took the lead on lap 22 after Haas driver Oliver Bearman crashed into a tire barrier, bringing out the safety car. Bearman exited the car and was later confirmed by medical staff to be in good condition.
Antonelli admitted the timing of the safety car worked in his favour. He said he was “a bit lucky,” adding that the race outcome might have been different without it, but that it certainly made things easier.
Piastri was left wondering what might have been, though he acknowledged Mercedes likely had superior pace. He said that while it was disappointing not to win, being frustrated with a second-place finish shows how competitive the team has become.
After missing the first two races - crashing on the formation lap in Australia and failing to start in China due to electrical issues - Piastri said McLaren maximised their performance in Japan but just fell short of victory. He added that, for now, a result like this feels almost as good as a win.
Meanwhile, Hamilton, who went all of last season without a podium for Ferrari, secured third place in China and came close again in Japan, suggesting improved competitiveness for the team. He insisted this week that he has not lost his edge.