Overview
- Kimi Antonelli secured pole at Suzuka on Saturday, leading a Mercedes front-row lockout ahead of George Russell.
- Oscar Piastri qualified third for McLaren with Charles Leclerc fourth for Ferrari, while Lando Norris took fifth and Lewis Hamilton sixth.
- Max Verstappen was eliminated in Q2, will start 11th, and said his Red Bull felt “completely undriveable” with poor mid-corner response and rear entry oversteer.
- Isack Hadjar was the only Red Bull driver to reach Q3 in eighth as surprises included Haas rookie Ollie Bearman dropping out in Q1 to start 18th.
- Antonelli’s second straight pole follows his maiden win two weeks ago and reflects how the 2026 rules—splitting power roughly 50/50 between engine and battery—have heightened setup and energy‑deployment sensitivity that is reshaping the grid order.