Kimi Antonelli won the Japanese Grand Prix and took the lead in the Formula 1 world championship: on the Suzuka circuit, an excellent third place for Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, sixth for Lewis Hamilton’s other red car.
Antonelli is the first rider under 20 years old to lead the world championship rankings. The 19-year-old from Bologna at the wheel of Mercedes, starting from pole, achieved his second triumph in a row after the one in China and thus jumps to first place in the drivers’ standings with a nine-point advantage over George Russell’s other Mercedes who finished in fourth place.
Second place for Oscar Piastri with McLaren. Fifth place for Lando Norris (McLaren). Pierre Gasly (Alpine) took seventh position ahead of Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing), eighth ahead of Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) and Esteban Ocon (Haas), tenth.
The championship? “It’s early but we’re on the right track”
«I feel very good. It’s too early to think about the championship but we are on the right path. The start wasn’t good, then the entry of the safety car helped me but after that the pace was incredible.” Thus Kimi Antonelli in the first statements after the victory in the Japanese GP. “I have to practice my starts in this month’s break that awaits us, it’s my weak point – added the 19-year-old from Bologna – we were very lucky with the safety car, I don’t know if it would have been different but it made my life easier.” «What a car I have!», Antonelli exulted to the team radio after crossing the finish line.
Leclerc is also satisfied:
“It was a positive race, in the end, and also fun. I had to sweat a little for the podium,” he said. “There was a bit of bad luck with the safety car but then I kept pushing and in the end the tires held up well. In the end I was missing something to catch Oscar Piastri,” added the Ferrari driver.