George Russell secured P2 for Mercedes in Japanese GP qualifying despite a pre-session setup change that went wrong, forcing a major front-wing adjustment mid-qualifying. He struggled initially but recovered, as the team investigates the procedural error that nearly cost them pace.
Charles Leclerc says Ferrari's power unit is "exposed" by a frustrating compromise in qualifying, where pushing for a final lap forces a trade-off between cornering speed and straight-line performance. He suggests the issue is worse for Ferrari than for Mercedes-powered rivals, as the FIA explores regulatory options to address the qualifying format's inherent challenges.
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli took his second straight F1 pole position in Japan, beating teammate George Russell. Oscar Piastri qualified third for McLaren, while a major shock saw Max Verstappen eliminated in Q2 and set to start 11th.
Max Verstappen faced a shocking Q2 exit at the Japanese GP, describing his upgraded Red Bull as "undrivable" after being outqualified by teammate Isack Hadjar. The four-time champion cited severe and unpredictable balance issues, casting major doubt on the effectiveness of the team's latest development package and highlighting a growing performance crisis.
Oscar Piastri qualified a strong third for McLaren at the Japanese GP, just 0.056s off Mercedes' George Russell. He stated the team is "getting closer" to the frontrunners, signaling a meaningful step forward in performance and putting Mercedes on alert for the race.
For the first time since 2018, Max Verstappen's average qualifying gap is behind that of his teammate, with Red Bull rookie Isack Hadjar holding a marginal 0.020s advantage early in the 2026 season. This marks a rare statistical shift for the dominant champion, while other teams like Mercedes and McLaren also see intriguing new qualifying battles forming.
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli stunned the field by taking pole position at Suzuka, leading a Silver Arrows 1-2 ahead of George Russell. Oscar Piastri qualified third for McLaren, but the major shock was reigning champion Max Verstappen's elimination in Q2, setting the stage for a dramatic and unpredictable Japanese Grand Prix.
Kimi Antonelli took pole for Mercedes at the Japanese GP, strengthening his surprise challenge to teammate George Russell. The session saw a successful tweak to the 2026 qualifying format but continued struggles for Red Bull and Williams, highlighting the season's dramatic reshuffle.
Kimi Antonelli took his second straight pole for Mercedes at Suzuka, beating teammate George Russell. The session was marked by a shocking Q2 elimination for Max Verstappen and a disastrous qualifying for Aston Martin, setting up an unpredictable race.
Kimi Antonelli dominated qualifying for Mercedes at Suzuka, taking pole by nearly three-tenths. The shock of the session was Max Verstappen's Q2 elimination, with the Red Bull driver calling his car 'undriveable' and set to start 11th, ending his streak of four straight Japanese GP poles.
Mercedes phenom Kimi Antonelli seized pole at Suzuka, but the qualifying shock was Max Verstappen's failure to reach Q3. The result sets up a dramatic Japanese GP with the rookie on the front row and the champion mired in the midfield.
Kimi Antonelli took a commanding pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix, beating Mercedes teammate George Russell by nearly three-tenths of a second. The session was marked by Russell's ongoing struggles with car balance and a shocking Q2 elimination for Max Verstappen, setting up an unpredictable race at Suzuka.
