Andrea Kimi Antonelli secures 2nd pole at the F1 Japanese GP; Bortoleto is ninth at Suzuka By Luís Henrique Costa
5 min read
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The Suzuka circuit was the scene of an impressive performance from Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who secured his second consecutive pole position in Fórmula 1, a significant milestone in his young career. The Mercedes driver dominated the qualifying session of the Japão GP, setting the fastest time and reaffirming his potential in the sport.
With a time of 1m28s778, Antonelli not only secured the position of honor, but also surpassed his teammate, Esse result puts the German team in an advantageous position for the main race.
The provisional podium in the classification was completed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who demonstrated competitive pace. The Brazilian highlight was Gabriel Bortoleto, who, with a consistent performance, managed to position himself in ninth place on the starting grid.
Italian highlight in Suzuka
Andrea The victory in the classification is a direct consequence of his performance in the China GP, where he also started at the front and secured his first victory in the Fórmula 1.
Mercedes demonstrated impressive pace throughout all qualifying sessions, culminating in Antonelli edging the experienced George Russell by a comfortable margin. Essa finishing one-two on the front row of the grid is a strong indication of the optimized performance of the car, which seems to have found the ideal setting for the technical and high-speed characteristics of Suzuka, a circuit that demands precision and refined aerodynamics.
Pole position at Suzuka, one of the most demanding and respected circuits on the Fórmula 1 calendar, serves as a strong boost for the young driver. After Após’s recent victory in the China, the expectation is that Antonelli will continue its rapid rise, consolidating itself as one of the names to watch closely in the current 2026 season. The race promises to be an additional test of its ability to manage the pressure and maintain the pace throughout all the laps of the race.
Performance by Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto
Gabriel Bortoleto, the young Brazilian talent, had a solid qualification, securing ninth position on the starting grid of the Japão GP. Sua day in the qualifying session was marked by a progressive performance, showing consistency in each stage of Q1, Q2 and Q3.
The driver opened the dispute in Q1, recording the seventh time in his first attempt, managing to remain in the top 10 to advance without major difficulties. In Q2, In Q3, even with the evolution of other drivers, such as Pierre Gasly, the Brazilian managed to remain in the top ten, finishing ninth and solidifying his position for the race.
The surprises and twists in Q2
The qualifying session for the Japão GP in 2026 was full of unexpected moments, and Q2 in particular held one of the biggest surprises of the day. Max Verstappen, four-time champion and one of the favorites, was unexpectedly eliminated.
Verstappen, who had qualified ninth in Q1, was unable to find the necessary pace in Q2. The evolution of other competitors in the final moments of the session pushed him to 11th position, preventing him from advancing to Q3. Este result represents the Dutchman’s worst performance in the Japão GP since joining Red Bull, and only the second time he has failed to reach Q3 in Suzuka in his Fórmula 1 career. Red Bull.
Intense fights in Q1 and Q3
Q1 of qualifying in Suzuka began with an intense battle for the lead, where Charles Leclerc, from George Russell also showed strength, coming within a few thousandths of a second of Leclerc in his final attempt. The session was marked by fierce competition in the middle of the grid, resulting in the elimination of drivers such as Alexander Albon, Oliver Bearman, Sergio Pérez, Valtteri Bottas, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.
In Q3, the decisive phase for pole, Antonelli and Russell were the first to record fast laps, with the Italian once again taking the lead, opening up an advantage of two tenths over his teammate. Oscar Piastri placed third, followed by Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Gabriel Bortoleto remained in ninth position, while Arvid Lindblad had his lap deleted for exceeding track limits, momentarily changing the order. Apesar of the final attempts of the main drivers, Antonelli confirmed their superiority, and none of them managed to improve their previous times, solidifying the pole position of the Italian from Mercedes.
Analysis of teams and their strategies
Mercedes emerges as the team to beat in the Japão GP, not only for Antonelli’s pole, but for the demonstration of pace and consistency that guaranteed a front row finish. The performance suggests that the team’s engineers have found an ideal balance for the W15 on the demanding Suzuka track, which could be crucial for the championship challenge. Race strategy will be key to converting this advantage into valuable points.
McLaren, with Oscar Piastri in third and Lando Norris in fifth, is also positioned as a strong candidate for the podium. The English team demonstrated significant progress since free practice, despite the battery problems that Norris is facing and which took it out of the opening of the China GP. The performance of Piastri is particularly notable, seeking his first effective start in this Mundial after unforeseen events in previous races.
Ferrari, which commanded Q1 with Charles Leclerc and rivaled Antonelli in Q2, lost steam in the final segment, with Leclerc in fourth and Lewis Hamilton in sixth. The Italian team will need to review its strategy for the race, seeking to recover the pace and positions that seemed achievable in the early stages of the classification. The Ferrari has the potential to react, but the start will be decisive for its aspirations.
Red Bull, on the other hand, will face a significant challenge with Max Verstappen starting in only 11th place. Este is an unusual scenario for the team, used to dominating the front rows. The performance of freshman Arvid Lindblad, who eliminated Verstappen in Q2, also points to an interesting dynamic within the Red Bull family. The recovery of Verstappen will be one of the most anticipated storylines of Sunday’s race.
The complete starting grid and the race
With the classification finalized, the starting grid for the 2026 Japão GP is defined, promising an exciting race full of strategies. The race will be broadcast live from 2am from Saturday to Sunday, at Brasília, with full coverage on sportv3, TV Globo and ge. Fans can expect a close race, with Antonelli’s pole position generating great anticipation for his second career win.
Key riders to keep an eye on include:
The race promises to test the durability of the cars and the skill of the drivers on the demanding Suzuka circuit. Tire management, pit stop strategies and overtaking capacity will be crucial factors in the outcome of the race, which is announced as an unmissable spectacle for lovers of the Fórmula 1.