Kimi Antonelli wins Japanese Grand Prix to become youngest F1 championship leader

Key facts

• Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes won the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka on 29 March 2026.
• Antonelli became the youngest driver in Formula One history to lead the world championship standings at 19 years old.
• Oscar Piastri of McLaren finished second and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari third.
• George Russell of Mercedes, who started the day leading the championship, finished fourth.
• Lando Norris of McLaren was fifth, Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari sixth, Pierre Gasly of Alpine seventh, and Max Verstappen of Red Bull eighth.
• The next race is the Miami Grand Prix on 3 May 2026 after Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races were cancelled due to war in the Middle East.