Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli took the win in the third round of the 2026 Formula‑1 season in Japan, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finishing second and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc rounding out the podium in third.
The race opened with a chaotic start. Both Antonelli and his teammate George Russell struggled to get away, allowing Piastri and Leclerc to seize the opportunity and pass the Mercedes pair. Throughout the race, Antonelli fought his way back to the front, extending his lead until the finish. Russell, hampered by technical problems, engaged in a tight battle with Leclerc but ended up out of the podium places.
In the midfield, McLaren’s Lando Norris challenged Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in a head‑to‑head duel, ultimately edging Hamilton. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who had started from eleventh, failed to make a decisive move up the field and finished eighth.
Points after the race saw Russell, Norris, Hamilton, Pierre Gasly (Alpine), and Verstappen ahead of the field. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) collected two points for ninth, Esteban Ocon (Haas) earned one point for tenth, and Germany’s Nico Hülkenberg (Audi) took a single point for eleventh. The next Grand Prix is scheduled in five weeks in Miami.
