Mercedes teenager Kimi Antonelli is the youngest-ever Formula 1 championship leader after mastering a chaotic Japanese Grand Prix. He overcame a poor start, used a Safety Car to his advantage, and drove away from the field to secure his second straight win and the points lead.
Kimi Antonelli won the Japanese GP with a comeback drive, seizing the F1 championship lead at 19 years old. Oscar Piastri finished a strong second for McLaren, while a late Safety Car helped Charles Leclerc secure third for Ferrari. The race was overshadowed by a major crash that reignited safety concerns over the new car regulations.
Kimi Antonelli won his second F1 race at the Japanese GP, but the event was defined by Ollie Bearman's huge crash, blamed on the 2026 cars' dangerous energy recovery systems. The accident has triggered urgent calls for the FIA to fix critical safety flaws with the new regulations during the upcoming five-week break.
A safety car turned the 2026 Japanese GP on its head, handing Kimi Antonelli a win and the championship lead while robbing Oscar Piastri of a likely victory. George Russell's fourth place compounded a tough weekend, as Charles Leclerc's podium showed Ferrari's growing fight.
Alpine's Franco Colapinto warns that massive speed differences under F1's 2026 rules are creating 'really dangerous' situations, citing Oliver Bearman's 50G crash in Japan. He described being a 'sitting duck' when harvesting energy, with cars suddenly closing at over 50 km/h faster, and calls for the FIA to address the issue.
Haas F1 driver Oliver Bearman was released from the Suzuka medical center with only a bruised knee after surviving a dramatic 50G crash during the Japanese Grand Prix. The incident, caused by a sudden encounter with a slower car, highlighted both the extreme dangers of the sport and the effectiveness of its modern safety standards.
Kimi Antonelli capitalized on a lucky Safety Car to win the Japanese GP, taking the Formula 1 world championship lead for the first time. The Mercedes driver, who dropped to sixth at the start, mastered the restart to beat Oscar Piastri by 13 seconds and become the youngest ever championship leader.
Oscar Piastri scored his first podium of 2024 with P2 at Suzuka but was left ruing a safety car that denied him a shot at victory. The McLaren driver led early and felt he could have held off George Russell, calling the lost opportunity a 'shame' while acknowledging the positive step for his team.
KitKat, an official F1 partner, has reported the theft of over 12 tons of its special Formula 1-themed chocolate bars during transit in Europe. The shipment, en route from Italy to Poland, and the truck itself remain missing, prompting an investigation.
Mercedes' 19-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli won the Japanese GP to become the youngest championship leader in F1 history. His second straight victory, aided by a Safety Car, moves him ahead of Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc in both the race and the standings, marking a stunning shift in the 2026 season's early narrative.
Haas driver Oliver Bearman walked away from a high-G crash at Suzuka with only a bruised knee, but the accident caused a Safety Car that changed the race lead. X-rays showed no fractures after the 50G impact at Spoon Curve.
Kimi Antonelli won a dramatic Japanese Grand Prix, using a mid-race safety car triggered by Ollie Bearman's crash to jump from fourth into the lead. The strategic twist denied Oscar Piastri a potential victory and propelled Antonelli to back-to-back wins, making him F1's youngest-ever championship leader.
