Antonelli takes championship lead with second straight win in Japan

Kimi Antonelli claimed his second consecutive victory at the Japanese Grand Prix to become the youngest driver to lead the Formula One world championship.

The 19-year-old secured the win Sunday at Suzuka after a crash by Oliver Bearman triggered a safety car at a critical moment in the pit stop cycle.

Antonelli had yet to make his stop, while rivals Oscar Piastri and George Russell had already pitted, allowing the Mercedes driver to retain track position and ultimately the lead.

Russell reacted immediately over team radio, saying “unbelievable” as the outcome became clear, with Antonelli going on to secure victory ahead of Piastri and Charles Leclerc. Russell finished fourth.

The race had initially developed into a contest between Piastri and Russell.

Piastri made a strong start to take the lead, while Russell briefly challenged before being overtaken again on the following lap.

“I can hold on to the win,” Piastri told his team during the opening phase, as he attempted to control the race before the pit stops.

The turning point came on lap 22 when Bearman lost control at high speed after running onto the grass while avoiding Franco Colapinto.

The Haas driver spun across the track and struck the barriers heavily at approximately 191mph, registering a 50G impact.

He exited the car unaided but was taken to the medical centre for checks, where he was later released with a knee contusion.

The safety car that followed allowed Antonelli to make his pit stop with minimal time loss, emerging in a position he was able to defend through the remainder of the race.

At the restart, he quickly built a gap to Piastri, who held second place under pressure from Ferrari and Mercedes behind.

Further back, Russell lost ground after a compromised restart and was overtaken by Lewis Hamilton, before also falling behind Leclerc following an energy deployment issue.

Although Russell briefly passed Leclerc in the closing laps, the Ferrari driver regained the position to secure the final podium place.

Behind them, Lando Norris finished fifth after a late battle with Hamilton, while Pierre Gasly led the midfield in seventh.

Max Verstappen finished eighth, followed by Liam Lawson and Esteban Ocon.

Antonelli’s victory moves him nine points clear at the top of the championship standings, marking a historic milestone as the first teenager to lead the drivers’ title race.

Formula One now enters a five-week break before the next round, with the Miami Grand Prix scheduled for early May following the cancellation of races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.