Antonelli beats teammate Russell to pole in Japan

Kimi Antonelli took his second pole position in a row as he beat Mercedes team-mate George Russell in qualifying at the Japanese Grand Prix. Antonelli was fastest throughout the session and beat Russell by 0.298 seconds, despite not improving on his final run at Suzuka. Russell also did not improve but still had enough to beat McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who will be joined on the second row by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. McLaren’s Lando Norris was fifth after a troubled weekend so far, ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari, while Max Verstappen was knocked out in the second session and will start 11th.

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Verstappen storms to sensational pole at Suzuka

Max Verstappen stunned his own Red Bull team and rivals McLaren by grabbing pole position from Lando Norris for the Japanese Grand Prix. Lagging behind the McLarens throughout the weekend, the world champion pipped Norris by 0.012 seconds with his final lap of the session. The second McLaren of Oscar Piastri was third ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc while Mercedes’ George Russell took fifth ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari.

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Verstappen pips Perez to pole by 0.066s in Japan

Max Verstappen led a Red Bull one-two in qualifying at the Japanese Grand Prix with McLaren’s Lando Norris best of the rest. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was fourth, his team-mate Charles Leclerc eighth, and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso fifth. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was sixth ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, whose team-mate George Russell was ninth. Home favourite Yuki Tsunoda will start from P10.

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