The 2026 Formula 1 season continued with high drama and shifting momentum as the Japanese Grand Prix wrapped up its third round, with the FIA confirming the final classification after all penalties were applied. The race at Suzuka proved pivotal in shaping the early championship picture, as a new leader emerged at the top of the standings.
At the front, Kimi Antonelli delivered another outstanding performance, securing his second career victory—and remarkably, his second consecutive win. The young Italian controlled the race with maturity beyond his years, fending off pressure and maintaining strong pace throughout. His triumph not only reinforced Mercedes’ competitiveness but also propelled him into the lead of the drivers’ championship.
Antonelli’s victory carries historic significance. At just 19 years and 216 days old, he becomes the youngest championship leader in Formula 1 history, overtaking his teammate George Russell in the standings. Russell, who had been leading the championship heading into Suzuka, endured a more difficult outing. Despite showing solid pace, he finished fourth—his lowest result of the season so far under the new regulations.
Splitting the Mercedes duo were strong performances from McLaren and Ferrari. Oscar Piastri continued his impressive form by finishing second, keeping the pressure on Antonelli but ultimately falling short by just over 13 seconds. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc secured third place for Ferrari, adding another podium to his tally in what is shaping up to be a tightly contested season among the top teams.
Further down the top ten, Lando Norris brought his McLaren home in fifth, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished sixth. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly claimed seventh, just ahead of reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who could only manage eighth in a challenging weekend for Red Bull.
The midfield battle remained intense, with Liam Lawson finishing ninth for Racing Bulls and Esteban Ocon rounding out the top ten for Haas. Points slipped away from several teams, however, as reliability and pace issues continued to affect the lower half of the grid.
At the back, Cadillac once again struggled to make an impact, with both Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas finishing near the bottom. Aston Martin, meanwhile, had a slightly more encouraging outing as Fernando Alonso managed to complete the full race distance—an improvement after recent reliability concerns—though he still finished a lap down.
The race also saw a couple of retirements, notably involving Lance Stroll and Oliver Bearman, both of whom failed to see the chequered flag.
Below is the official final classification from the race:
Position
Driver
Team
Time
1
Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
1:28:03.403
2
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
+13.722s
3
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
+15.270s
4
George Russell
Mercedes
+15.754s
5
Lando Norris
McLaren
+23.479s
6
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
+25.037s
7
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
+32.340s
8
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
+32.677s
9
Liam Lawson
Racing Bulls
+50.180s
10
Esteban Ocon
Haas
+51.216s
11
Nico Hulkenberg
Audi
+52.280s
12
Isack Hadjar
Red Bull
+56.154s
13
Gabriel Bortoleto
Audi
+59.078s
14
Arvid Lindblad
Racing Bulls
+59.848s
15
Carlos Sainz
Williams
+1:05.008s
16
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
+1:05.773s
17
Sergio Perez
Cadillac
+1:32.453s
18
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
+1 Lap
19
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac
+1 Lap
20
Alex Albon
Williams
+2 Laps
NC
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
DNF
NC
Oliver Bearman
Haas
DNF
Antonelli also capped off a flawless weekend by setting the fastest lap of the race, further underlining his dominance.
Looking ahead, Formula 1 now enters an unusual extended break. The cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix—due to ongoing geopolitical tensions—mean that teams and drivers will not return to action for over a month. The next race is scheduled to be the Miami Grand Prix sprint weekend in early May, where the championship battle is expected to resume with even greater intensity.
With momentum firmly on his side, Antonelli heads into the break as the man to beat, while rivals like Russell, Piastri, and Leclerc will be eager to regroup and respond when the season resumes.
