SUZUKA, Japan (AP) — Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli took the pole for Sunday’s Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, just two weeks after he led qualifying and won the first race of his career in China.
Antonelli’s top qualifying time Saturday was 1 minute, 28.778 seconds on the 5.8-kilometer Suzuka circuit.
kAm%62>>2E6 v6@C86 #FDD6== H:== DE2CE 2=@?8D:56 9:>] #FDD6== k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^7@C>F=2\`\2FDEC2=:2?\8A\bda623e272b2dd5eab_5afhd_“cgbf_QmH@? 😕 pFDEC2=:2k^2m 😕 E96 7:CDE C246 @7 E96 D62D@? 2?5 2=D@ E@@< E96 A@=6[ E96 DE2CE @7 |6C4656DV 62C=J 5@>:?2?46 😕 a_ae]k^Am
kAm|4{2C6?VD ~D42C !:2DEC:[ H9@ 92D J6E E@ DE2CE 2 C246 E9:D D62D@?[ H:== DE2CE 2=@?8D:56 r92C=6D {64=6C4 @7 u6CC2C: 😕 E96 D64@?5 C@H[ 2?5 {2?5@ }@CC:D @7 |4{2C6? DE2CED @? C@H E9C66 ?6IE E@ {6H:D w2>:=E@? @7 u6CC2C:]]k^Am
kAm%H@ H66^2CE:4=6^>4=2C6?\7`\>6C4656D\?@CC:D\A:2DEC:\7fb4_7af2_4db7d3`3baad47`3cda`dbQm:? r9:?2k^2m[ ?6:E96C |4{2C6? 42C E@@< A2CE 😕 E96 C246 3642FD6 @7 6=64EC:42= AC@3=6>D] p?5 😕 pFDEC2=:2[ !:2DEC: D2E @FE 27E6C 4C2D9:?8 9:D 42C 367@C6 E96 C246 6G6? DE2CE65]k^Am
kAmu@FC\E:>6 492>A:@? |2I ‘6CDE2AA6? @7 #65 qF== H:== DE2CE “E9 27E6C DECF88=:?8 2?5 4@>A=2:?:?8 @? 9:D C25:@ 23@FE 9:D 42C]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< E96C6 😀 D@>6E9:?8 HC@?8 H:E9 E96 42C[ >2E6] xE H2D 4@>A=6E6=J F?5C:G23=6[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm$2EFC52J’D BF2=:7J:?8 H2D CF? @? 2 DF??J DAC:?8 52J H:E9 E96 D2>6 AC65:4E65 7@C $F?52J]k^Am
k9C ^m
kAmp! 2FE@ C24:?8i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^2FE@\C24:?8Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^2FE@\C24:?8k^2mk^Am
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.