Qualifying at the Japanese Grand Prix concluded with an exemplary performance from Kimi Antonelli. The young Italian, winner of last weekend’s Grand Prix in China, outpaced his teammate George Russell by three-tenths of a second, who appeared to struggle this weekend.
Oscar Piastri claimed an excellent third position, consistently holding off Lando Norris, who finished fifth. The strong performance of the McLaren drivers highlights the incredible capability of the Mercedes power unit to make a difference when it truly matters on the track.
Qualifying in Japan: Two Mercedes with different performances from Q1 to Q3
The Silver Arrows’ performance in Q1 and Q2 was far from perfect. During the early qualifying sessions, Ferrari often seemed to have the advantage, particularly on the straights, normally a Mercedes stronghold. George Russell had multiple complaints, visibly frustrated to see his times slower than those recorded in FP3.
It was only from Q3 onwards that the W17 appeared to unlock its true potential, demonstrated today by Antonelli. Straight-line speed returned to dominate, with the Italian posting the only lap under 1:29 on the grid. There is a subtle suspicion that the team unleashed the full power of the German power unit only during the final qualifying session.
The gap between Russell in second and Piastri in third was minimal, merely milliseconds. George struggled throughout the weekend compared to Antonelli, showing clear difficulties with the rear balance of the car. After the first three championship qualifying sessions, Antonelli has secured two pole positions, while Russell has claimed one.
Antonelli in confidence overtakes Russell
The pole position obtained by the 2006-born driver is a significant demonstration of strength. Suzuka is a highly technical and complex circuit, with corners such as the Snake and Spoon among the most challenging in the championship. Many had expected Russell to lead the timesheet, given his experience at this track and throughout this weekend.
Instead, Kimi Antonelli showed once and for all that, without pressure on his shoulders, he can be the fastest of all. He beat his teammate by three-tenths of a second and set a four-tenths gap to Piastri in third, a margin that is far from negligible.
Mercedes drivers’ comments
“I’m very happy with this session; it was clean and solid,” Kimi Antonelli explained. “I felt very comfortable in the car, and with every attempt I continued to improve. On the last lap it was a shame to lock up in Turn 11, but it was still a good lap. Now I focus on tomorrow. The fans in Japan are incredible, and racing on such a historic track is amazing.”
The Bologna-born driver also spoke to Sky Sport: “This pole is definitely more satisfying than the one in China. I felt immediately good in the car, even though the first run in Q1 wasn’t great. I tried to adapt to the car and eventually managed to find a good rhythm. It’s a pity about the second Q3 attempt; I could have improved without the lock-up in Turn 11.”
“Improving in all sessions without mistakes helped a lot. When you manage everything well, it makes a huge difference. That was the key. I feel more relaxed than in China; I’m in the best possible position. I’ll try to make a clean start without overdoing it, and then I’ll aim for a solid race pace.”
George Russell appeared less satisfied with his session and the overall situation: “Kimi did a fantastic job. For me, the session felt a bit strange. I was never able to put together a complete lap, and we need to understand what happened during these qualifiers. Anyway, I’m in second position and the race is tomorrow. We’ll see what happens; the start will already be an important moment.”
After his first career victory at the Chinese Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli appears motivated, confident with the car, and he demonstrated it today in Suzuka. Considering that last year the Italian also gave excellent impressions on the Japanese circuit, the chances of a victory tomorrow are very high. For George Russell, it’s clear that his teammate Antonelli is now the primary rival for the Drivers’ Championship.
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