Antonelli crushes the field, makes F1 history in chaotic Japanese GP

The Grand Prix burst into life in dramatic fashion, as Oscar Piastri rocketed into the lead on the opening lap. The McLaren driver, yet to complete a full Grand Prix lap this season, made a stunning getaway to surge ahead of both Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.

The early reshuffle wasn’t limited to the front. Charles Leclerc climbed into third, while Lando Norris gained a position. Lewis Hamilton also made progress, moving up a place from his starting slot.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen enjoyed his best launch of the season, climbing two places to ninth by the end of the opening lap.

After the flurry of early moves, the race began to settle into rhythm, until Russell, recovering from a poor start, briefly lunged for the lead. Piastri, however, responded instantly, reclaiming control within the same lap.

Further back, Verstappen continued his charge by passing Esteban Ocon, while Antonelli pressed on with his recovery drive, overtaking reigning champion Norris.

The Italian driver continued his charge, engaging in a brief position swap with Leclerc on lap 16. While the two battled wheel-to-wheel, further down the field, Arvid Lindblad and Isack Hadjar were embroiled in their own tight duel, with the Racing Bulls rookie receiving a black-and-white flag from race control.

The pit window soon opened, with Norris leading the front-runners in tyre changes. The McLaren driver switched from medium to hard tyres on lap 17, with Leclerc following suit after fending off Antonelli. Bearman, Piastri, and several others soon entered the pits in a bid to execute the perfect one-stop strategy. Meanwhile, Antonelli continued to reel in the leaders, closing the gap steadily.

The Grand Prix erupted into drama when Bearman suffered a heavy crash while closing in on Franco Colapinto at the Spoon Curve. The young British driver required assistance from the marshals and was taken away in the medical car.

The incident brought out the safety car, providing an opportunity for several drivers – including Antonelli, Verstappen, and Hamilton – to make quick pit stops and shuffle positions. Following the restart, Lance Stroll in the Aston Martin was forced to retire, adding further twists to an already eventful race.

However, following the restart, it was Antonelli who largely coasted to victory lane in Suzuka. The Mercedes driver secured his consecutive race victory of the season, seizing the lead in the drivers’ championship – the youngest ever in the history of the sport.

The Italian driver took the chequered flag with a lead of over 14 seconds ahead of Piastri, with Leclerc completing the top three.

Russell claimed fourth spot, with Norris in fifth ahead of Hamilton. Gasly held on to sixth place, ahead of Verstappen. Lawson recorded a consecutive points finish in ninth, with Ocon clinching his first points of the season in 10th.

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