News story

F1 Japanese GP: Antonelli on pole again, Verstappen out in Q2

Kimi Antonelli grabbed his second career Formula 1 pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix, also his second in a row, as Max Verstappen was eliminated in Q2. Antonelli enforced his dominance on Mercedes team-mate George Russell so far this weekend, with the Italian youngster quicker than his elder in the last two free practice sessions as well as Q2 – by six tenths – and Q3 – by ...

Story summary

Quick context from the source report:

Kimi Antonelli grabbed his second career Formula 1 pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix, also his second in a row, as Max Verstappen was eliminated in Q2. Antonelli enforced his dominance on Mercedes team-mate George Russell so far this weekend, with the Italian youngster quicker than his elder in the last two free practice sessions as well as Q2 – by six tenths – and Q3 – by ...

Key takeaways

A short briefing layer built from the same story signals:

  • What changed: Kimi Antonelli grabbed his second career Formula 1 pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix, also his second in a row, as Max Verstappen was eliminated in Q2. Antonelli enforced his dominance on Mercedes team-mate George Russell so far this weekend, with the Italian youngster quicker than his elder in the last two free practice sessions as well as Q2 – by six tenths – and Q3 – by .
  • Who it affects: Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes are the main threads to track.
  • Read next: Start with Andrea Kimi Antonelli or Mercedes archive for more context.

Story angle

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An internal pressure story that can reshape how a team is led and judged.

Why it matters

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It can influence decision-making, messaging, and pressure around the team across the current F1 picture.

At a glance

Source
Autosport
Drivers
Andrea Kimi Antonelli (2026 Driver Profile), George Russell (Bio & Records), Kimi Raikkonen (Bio & Records), Max Verstappen (Bio & Records)
Teams
Mercedes-AMG Petronas (History & Technical Path)

News

Source: Autosport

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