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Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has made history after winning the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, to become the youngest driver in Formula One history to lead the World Championship standings.
Antonelli’s triumph at Suzuka came after he capitalised on a mid-race safety car, taking the lead despite a poor start from pole position.
Antonelli’s race performance saw him cross the line 13.722 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc trailing in third, 1.548 seconds behind.
The 19-year-old now sits at the top of the Championship standings with 72 points, a nine-point lead over teammate George Russell, who finished fourth. Despite the young Italian’s dominance, Antonelli remained grounded, saying, “Of course, it’s still too early to think about the championship, but we’re on a good way.”
Antonelli, who had set the fastest lap, was down to sixth place by the first corner after a dreadful launch off the grid. Meanwhile, Piastri seized the opportunity, taking the lead with Leclerc close behind. The race was turned on its head when Haas driver Ollie Bearman’s crash prompted the deployment of the safety car. Piastri, who had already pitted, lost his position when Antonelli, fresh from the pit stop, emerged ahead of him, giving the Mercedes driver an invaluable edge.
Further down the grid, McLaren’s Lando Norris finished fifth, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly completed the top seven. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who had won the previous four Japanese Grands Prix, finished eighth after starting in 11th.
With the victory, Antonelli extends his lead in the standings, while Russell drops to second.
The Formula One calendar will now take a break until the Miami Grand Prix on May 3, following the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
