19-year-old Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes wins Japanese GP for second straight victory

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli of Italy reacts after winning the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix
at Suzuka in central Japan, yesterday [AP Photo]

Italian 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes has won his second consecutive Formula 1 race, taking yesterday’s Japanese Grand Prix ahead of Oscar Piastri of McLaren.

Charles Leclerc of Ferrari was third with George Russell of Mercedes in fourth. McLaren’s Lando Norris was fifth with sixth for Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari at the Suzuka circuit in central Japan on a clear, sunny spring afternoon.

Antonelli won the first F1 race of his career two weeks ago in China, the second-youngest winner in history. The youngest was Max Verstappen in 2016 at only 18. The young Italian also won from pole-position in China, the youngest to ever claim that spot.

Russell was second in China two weeks ago and won the season-opening race in Australia, which means Mercedes has victories in the first three races of 2026 — and Antonelli has two of them.

Antonelli started from the pole with Russell alongside, but neither got a great start with Piastri beating both to the first turn and holding the early lead.

Antonelli now leads the season standings with 72 points.

Formula 1 now takes a five-week break with races for April in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia called off because of the war in Iran. The next race is May 3 in Miami.

Antonelli’s and Mercedes again showed they are best at mastering the new car configuration for 2026, which features a 50-50 split between internal combustion power and electrical battery power.

The cars are also lighter, narrower and shorter than last season with many drivers complaining about the most radical changes in a decade.

Piastri got a great start. Antonelli didn’t and wound up in sixth after the first lap but clawed his way back. He had the lead on the 22nd lap when Hass driver Oliver Bearman lost control and hit a tire barrier, triggering the safety car.

He limped out of the car but was reported later to be in good shape by medical officials.

Hamilton went all last season without a podium driving for Ferrari, but managed third place in China. He was close to another podium in Japan, showing the Ferrari is competitive, which it wasn’t last season. STEPHEN WADE, SUZUKA, MDT/AP