F1 | 2026 Japanese GP Qualifying: Antonelli secures another pole position
Kimi Antonelli secures another pole position and George Russell - second on the grid - begins to realize he has a real threat within the team. Oscar Piastri takes third place, while the Ferraris struggle with Leclerc in fourth and Hamilton in sixth.
Qualifying for the 2026 Japanese GP confirmed the values that emerged in free practice, but there was no shortage of surprises and twists, especially in the middle stages of the session. On the Suzuka track, Kimi Antonelli took home his second pole position of the season, sending a clear message to teammate George Russell.
F1 Japanese GP Qualifying: complete results
| Pos | DRIVER | TEAM | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi AntonelliQ3 | Mercedes | 1:28.778 |
| 2 | George RussellQ3 | Mercedes | 1:29.076 |
| 3 | Oscar PiastriQ3 | McLaren | 1:29.132 |
| 4 | Charles LeclercQ3 | Scuderia Ferrari | 1:29.405 |
| 5 | Lando NorrisQ3 | McLaren | 1:29.409 |
| 6 | Lewis HamiltonQ3 | Scuderia Ferrari | 1:29.567 |
| 7 | Pierre GaslyQ3 | Alpine | 1:29.691 |
| 8 | Isack HadjarQ3 | Red Bull | 1:29.978 |
| 9 | Gabriel BortoletoQ3 | Audi | 1:30.274 |
| 10 | Arvid LindbladQ3 | Racing Bulls | 1:30.319 |
| 11 | Max VerstappenQ2 | Red Bull | 1:30.262 |
| 12 | Esteban OconQ2 | Haas | 1:30.309 |
| 13 | Nico HulkenbergQ2 | Audi | 1:30.387 |
| 14 | Liam LawsonQ2 | Racing Bulls | 1:30.495 |
| 15 | Franco ColapintoQ2 | Alpine | 1:30.627 |
| 16 | Carlos SainzQ2 | Williams | 1:31.033 |
| 17 | Alexander AlbonQ1 | Williams | 1:31.088 |
| 18 | Oliver BearmanQ1 | Haas | 1:31.090 |
| 19 | Sergio PerezQ1 | Cadillac | 1:32.206 |
| 20 | Valtteri BottasQ1 | Cadillac | 1:32.330 |
| 21 | Fernando AlonsoQ1 | Aston Martin | 1:32.646 |
| 22 | Lance StrollQ1 | Aston Martin | 1:32.920 |
Report Japanese GP Qualifying
In Q1, there was no shortage of other high-profile eliminations. Albon, Bearman, Perez, Bottas, Alonso, and Stroll were left out at the end of a very hard-fought phase in which Colapinto managed to save himself on his final attempt. Antonelli initially set the pace, then was overtaken by Leclerc, while Russell highlighted some balance problems, complaining of oversteer and unconvincing sensations at the rear.
Q2 reserved one of the most surprising moments of the session, with the elimination of Max Verstappen. The Dutchman, in difficulty throughout the phase, did not go beyond the ninth fastest time and also paid for the improvement of Lindblad, the absolute protagonist with a lap that guaranteed him access to Q3. The Red Bull driver complained over the radio about a suddenly undriveable car, especially in the fast corners. Along with him, Ocon, Hulkenberg, Lawson, Colapinto, and Sainz were eliminated.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured his second career pole position, his second in a row, at the end of a Q3 managed with great solidity. The young Italian made the difference already in the first attempt, closing in 1’28”778 and putting nearly three-tenths on George Russell. In the last run, no one managed to improve: Antonelli himself made a small mistake at the hairpin, while Russell failed to get close, thus handing the pole to his teammate.
Behind the two Mercedes, a very compact group emerged. Oscar Piastri took third position ahead of Charles Leclerc, the only one among the big names to improve in the final attempt despite a visible smudge exiting Spoon. Third row for Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, with narrow gaps, while Pierre Gasly, Isack Hadjar, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Arvid Lindblad completed the top ten.
Overall, qualifying confirmed Mercedes’ superiority over a single lap, with Antonelli and Russell masters of the scene. Behind them, Ferrari and McLaren proved to be very close, ready to play an important role in the race on a circuit that, historically, does not forgive mistakes.
→ Discover what happened during Free Practice 1
→ Discover what happened during Free Practice 2
→ Discover what happened during Free Practice 3
