For the second race in succession it’s teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli starting from pole. The Italian youngster dominated team mate George Russell in Qualifying, as Mercedes locked out the front row at Suzuka.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri came close to crashing the Silver Arrows' party, with the Australian third on the grid alongside the fast-starting Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. Their respective team mates, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, start fifth and sixth.
The experienced Pierre Gasly is P7, the Alpine driver heading a tight midfield pack, with Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar eighth and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto’s ninth. Racing Bull’s rookie Arvid Lindblad completes the top 10, having knocked stablemate and four-time champ Max Verstappen out of Qualifying in the dying moments of Q2.
Starting Grid
FORMULA 1 ARAMCO JAPANESE GRAND PRIX 2026
| Pos. | Driver | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi AntonelliANT | 1:28.778 |
| 2 | George RussellRUS | 1:29.076 |
| 3 | Oscar PiastriPIA | 1:29.132 |
| 4 | Charles LeclercLEC | 1:29.405 |
| 5 | Lando NorrisNOR | 1:29.409 |
| 6 | Lewis HamiltonHAM | 1:29.567 |
| 7 | Pierre GaslyGAS | 1:29.691 |
| 8 | Isack HadjarHAD | 1:29.978 |
| 9 | Gabriel BortoletoBOR | 1:30.274 |
| 10 | Arvid LindbladLIN | 1:30.319 |
The 2026 Japanese Grand Prix starts at 1400 local time. Be sure to join our live coverage from 1300 here.
Next Up
Related Articles
How can Piastri recover from ‘anonymous’ Madrid weekend?
10 of the best off-track F1 moments from 10 years in Baku
Verstappen backs Hadjar's Red Bull contract renewal for 2027
Why Red Bull have committed to Hadjar for a second season
Red Bull announce new deal with Hadjar for 2027
What does the future hold for Lawson after Red Bull stint?










