Full race results: Safety Car drama reshapes Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka
The race start of the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix.
Here are the complete F1 results from the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix, which was won by Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli.
The Italian driver recovered from a poor start to gain positions during a mid-race Safety Car intervention, with Antonelli making it back to back victories.
Kimi Antonelli wins Suzuka after Safety Car turning point
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Following his maiden victory in Shanghai two weeks ago, Antonelli has won a second consecutive race to take the lead of the Drivers’ Championship; he’s the first teenager in the sport’s history to do so.
Starting from pole position, Antonelli got too much wheelspin at the start to fall down to sixth place, while George Russell, from second place, slipped down to fourth.
Taking the lead was McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who led ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
The Mercedes drivers started their fightback over the first 20 laps, with Russell climbing up into second by the fourth lap and setting about attacking Piastri. He managed to get ahead once into the Casio Triangle chicane, before Piastri reclaimed the lead into Turn 1.
Russell pitted on Lap 22, having failed to clear the McLaren driver, with Antonelli taking the lead when his teammate pitted. Moments later, the Safety Car came out to cover a hefty crash for Haas’ Oliver Bearman.
The British driver was caught out by the closing speed of his approach behind Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, losing control over the grass and slamming sideways into the barriers in a 50G smash that required Bearman to visit the Medical Centre for precautionary checks.
The Safety Car’s appearance gave Antonelli the opportunity to pit and retain the lead, and, having had fortune smile upon him to reclaim the lead, set about stamping his authority on the race to open up a 15-second lead by the chequered flag.
Piastri claimed second, with Leclerc taking the final podium place. The Ferrari driver overtook Hamilton in a close intra-Ferrari battle in the closing stages, with Russell also getting past Hamilton to keep the pressure on Leclerc.
Leclerc then weathered constant pressure from Russell to finish third, having been made for it by the British driver when Russell managed to get ahead once in the final laps; Leclerc responded immediately to overtake him around the outside of Turn 1.
Russell was left a frustrated fourth, having taken to the team radio to exclaim about his bad luck with the Safety Car timing, while Lando Norris took fifth for McLaren as he overtook Hamilton into the chicane within sight of the chequered flag.
With Hamilton in sixth, Pierre Gasly took seventh for Alpine after a race-long battle with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The four-time F1 World Champion was left staring at the back of the Alpine lap after lap, but had to settle for eighth place in what was a strong recovery from his 11th-place grid slot.
Liam Lawson took ninth for Racing Bulls, while the final point went to Haas’ Esteban Ocon to brighten his team’s day after the frightening accident that befell Ocon.
Aston Martin finished a race for the first time in F1 2026, with Fernando Alonso coming home in 18th and a lap down, while Lance Stroll retired with a suspected water pressure issue.
FULL REPORT: Antonelli wins in Japan after huge crash for Bearman brings out Safety Car
Full Results: Japanese Grand Prix
- 1. Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 53 Laps
- 2. Oscar Piastri McLaren +13.722
- 3. Charles Leclerc Ferrari +15.270
- 4. George Russell Mercedes +15.754
- 5. Lando Norris McLaren +23.479
- 6. Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +25.037
- 7. Pierre Gasly Alpine +32.340
- 8. Max Verstappen Red Bull +32.677
- 9. Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +50.180
- 10. Esteban Ocon Haas +51.216
- 11. Nico Hulkenberg Audi +52.280
- 12. Isack Hadjar Red Bull +56.154
- 13. Gabriel Bortoleto Audi +59.078
- 14. Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +59.848
- 15. Carlos Sainz Williams +65.008
- 16. Franco Colapinto Alpine +65.773
- 17. Sergio Perez Cadillac +92.453
- 18. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1 Lap
- 19. Valtteri Bottas Cadillac +1 Lap
- 20. Alex Albon Williams +2 Laps
- 21. Lance Stroll Aston Martin DNF
- 22. Oliver Bearman Haas DNF
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