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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes wins Japanese GP for second straight victory

19-year-old Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes wins Japanese GP for second straight victory

Published Mar 29, 2026 05:06 pm

At A Glance

  • SUZUKA, Japan (AP) — Italian 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes has won his second consecutive Formula 1 race, taking Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix ahead of Oscar Piastri of McLaren. Antonelli finished a comfortable 13.7 seconds ahead of the Australian.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli of Italy reacts on the podium after winning the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at Suzuka in central Japan, Sunday, March 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli of Italy reacts on the podium after winning the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at Suzuka in central Japan, Sunday, March 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
SUZUKA, Japan (AP) — Italian 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes has won his second consecutive Formula 1 race, taking Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix ahead of Oscar Piastri of McLaren.
Antonelli finished a comfortable 13.7 seconds ahead of the Australian.
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari was third with George Russell of Mercedes in fourth. McLaren's Lando Norris was fifth with sixth for Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari at the Suzuka circuit in central Japan on a clear, sunny spring afternoon.
Antonelli won the first F1 race of his career two weeks ago in China, the second-youngest winner in history. The youngest was Max Verstappen in 2016 at 18. Antonelli also won from pole position in China.
Antonelli has 72 points from three races and now becomes the youngest to lead the season drivers' standings.
“It's too early to think about the championship, but we’re in a good way,” Antonelli said. “I got a terrible start, I just need to check what happened.
“Definitely, it's been (the starts) a weak point this year and I need to improve that because you can easily win or lose races with that.”
Russell was second in China two weeks ago and won the season-opening race in Australia, which means Mercedes has victories in the first three races of 2026.
In Japan, Antonelli started from pole with Russell alongside him, but neither got a great start with Piastri beating both to the first turn and holding the early lead.
But Antonelli and Mercedes again showed that they have mastered the 2026 car configuration, which features a 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical-battery power.
The cars are also lighter, narrower and shorter than last season, with many drivers complaining about the new regulations, the most radical changes in a decade.

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Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix Kimi Antonelli Mercedes
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