On Lap 22, Haas' Oliver Bearman suffered a 50G impact at Turn 13 after a high-speed speed differential incident with Franco Colapinto. The resulting Safety Car gifted Antonelli a "cheap" pit stop, allowing him to leapfrog leaders who had already pitted under green-flag conditions.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri surged from third to take the lead into Turn 1, while the Mercedes duo of Antonelli and George Russell suffered slow starts.
With this win, 19-year-old Antonelli became the youngest-ever championship leader, surpassing previous records and leading teammate George Russell by nine points. On Lap 22, Haas' Oliver Bearman suffered a
Watch the official highlights of the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix to see Antonelli's strategic recovery and the race-defining Safety Car period:
The at Suzuka Circuit was won by Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli , who made history as the youngest driver to ever lead the Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship. Antonelli secured his second consecutive victory of the season despite a poor start that initially saw him drop from pole position to sixth. Race Summary and Key Moments
Defending champion Max Verstappen endured a "midfield battle," failing to reach Q3 and finishing a distant eighth behind Alpine's Pierre Gasly. 2026 Japanese Grand Prix Final Classification Time/Retired Kimi Antonelli 1:28:03.403 Oscar Piastri Charles Leclerc George Russell Lando Norris Lewis Hamilton Pierre Gasly Max Verstappen Liam Lawson Racing Bulls Esteban Ocon Race Summary and Key Moments Defending champion Max
Full official results are available on the Official F1 Website. Kimi Antonelli George Russell Charles Leclerc Lewis Hamilton Lando Norris View full standings on RacingNews365.
The race featured dramatic shifts in momentum, primarily driven by a high-impact crash and strategic tire calls.