By Kwame Bediako
Kimi Antonelli took his second Formula 1 victory in a row at the Japanese Grand Prix, moving into the lead of the world championship after a safety‑car‑aided pit stop swung the race in his favour.
The 19‑year‑old Italian had not yet pitted when Oliver Bearman’s Haas crashed heavily, triggering a safety‑car period that allowed Mercedes to box Antonelli without losing the race lead.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Antonelli’s Mercedes team‑mate George Russell had both already stopped, meaning their time lost in the pits was significantly greater.
That sequence handed Antonelli a “free” stop and fresh tyres, enabling him to pass Piastri on fresher rubber and drive away to a 13.7‑second victory margin, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc third and Russell fourth.
A frustrated Russell, who had led early and radioed “unbelievable” when he realised the timing would undercut him, finishes nine points behind his younger team‑mate in the standings.
The result marks a 13‑point swing in Antonelli’s favour and knocks Russell off the top of the championship, putting the rookie in pole position at just 19 years old.
Antonelli has now become the youngest driver in Formula 1 history to lead the world championship, surpassing Lewis Hamilton’s previous record from 2007.
He also moves clear of Russell by nine points, with Piastri slotting into second in the title race after his runner‑up finish in Suzuka.
With back‑to‑back wins in China and Japan, Antonelli has announced himself as a genuine title contender, even as he acknowledges the role of strategy and luck in the Japanese triumph.
The Mercedes rookie will now aim to defend his new lead through the rest of the 2026 season as Formula 1 heads towards a fiercely contested title battle.
