Kimi Antonelli wins Japanese GP and takes the lead in Formula 1

Kimi Antonelli won the Grande Prêmio of the Japão of The Italian driver of Mercedes started in pole position but had a poor start and fell to sixth place on the first lap. Ele recovered positions throughout the race and crossed the finish line with a comfortable advantage over second place.

The race was largely decided by the safety car deployed on lap 22 after the accident of Oliver Bearman of Haas. The Briton hit the protective barrier hard while managing the engine’s energy at high speed and suffered a knee injury. The incident neutralized the race and allowed Antonelli to make a pit stop under favorable conditions.

• Problematic start from pole position
• Bearman accident on lap 22
• Strategic stop during safety car
• Final advantage of almost 14 seconds

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished second, 13.7 seconds behind the winner. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari completed the podium in third. George Russell’s teammate of Antonelli in Mercedes who was leading before the safety car finished fourth after stopping in the pits shortly before the incident.

Recovery on the track after a bad start

The 19-year-old young driver admitted that the start was a weak point this weekend. Ele will need to analyze what happened in the clutch to improve performance in the next tests. Mesmo so the pace of Mercedes was strong as soon as he had a free track.

With the Antonelli medium tires it quickly gained ground. The switch to hard tires during the safety car period consolidated his advantage and allowed him to control the race in the final laps. The Italian completed the race with a consistent and error-free performance.

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Mercedes strategy defines results

The German team timed the Antonelli stop well, which coincided with the entry of the safety car. Isso gave the driver a practically free tire change while the rivals who had stopped earlier lost relative time. Russell regretted the timing of the stop itself, which left him at a disadvantage.

Piastri pressed in the opening laps but was unable to keep up with the pace of the Mercedes after the restart. The Australian maintained second position consistently until the end. Leclerc also had a good race and secured important points for Ferrari.

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Antonelli becomes the youngest leader in history

With the victory, Antonelli now has 72 points and opened a nine-point lead over Russell who has 63. The Italian became the youngest driver to lead the Mundial of Fórmula 1.

It is still early in the season for definitive projections in the championship. Mercedes demonstrated competitiveness in the first three stages. The break in the calendar until the Miami GP will allow adjustments and training especially at the starts.

Pilots comment on regulatory changes

Several competitors expressed concern about the new rules that increase the electric participation to 50% and change the overtaking method. The Bearman accident occurred during energy management and generated debates about safety in maneuvers. The FIA ​​is expected to review the regulations in April.

Fernando Alonso Carlos Sainz and Piastri himself warned of the risk of collisions in specific conditions. The teams continue to work on the technical details to adapt the cars. Safety remains the category’s top priority.

Performance of Gabriel Bortoleto

Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto from Audi finished the race in 13th place outside the points zone. Ele lost positions at the start and reported a lack of grip on the straights of Suzuka where he was frequently overtaken. The team qualified well but faced difficulties in the race.

Bortoleto highlighted that the car has potential and that some external factors harmed the result. The three-week break will be used for adjustments at the factory. The Brazilian continues in search of points in the next stages of the calendar.

The Japão GP marked Antonelli’s second consecutive victory of the season. The Mercedes consolidated strength at the beginning of the year with the two drivers among the main drivers. The category returns in May for the Miami GP after the cancellation of the stages at Bahrein and Arábia Saudita.