Suzuka delivered a stunning Saturday. Sunshine, a capacity crowd of already 200,000 guests attending over three days alone, and a qualifying session that produced one of the biggest shocks of the 2026 season so far. Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position for Mercedes. Max Verstappen did not make it out of Q2. The grid for Sunday is set — and it is not what anyone predicted.
FP3: Mercedes Set the Tone Again
Saturday morning’s final practice session passed without major incident and, once again, without anyone seriously threatening Mercedes. Antonelli topped the session, with George Russell close behind. Charles Leclerc split the two in third, suggesting Ferrari had something in reserve ahead of qualifying.
The concerning story of the morning belonged to Lando Norris. An ERS problem cost the McLaren driver the majority of his session. He recovered to sixth, but the lack of running left him at a disadvantage heading into the afternoon. Audi, meanwhile, impressed — Nico Hülkenberg seventh, Gabriel Bortoleto ninth — arriving at qualifying with genuine momentum.
Q1: Alonso and Stroll Eliminated, Cadillac joins, Bearman surprise.
Q1 brought the expected casualties at the bottom of the order. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were eliminated, as were Alexander Albon, Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, and Oliver Bearman — a difficult result for Haas after their strong start to the season in China. Cadillac and Aston Martin continue to struggle for pace.
The positive story, however, belonged to Carlos Sainz. The Williams driver made it through Q1 for the first time this season. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto also progressed, squeezing through in sixteenth place.
Q2: Verstappen Out. Rookie Lindblad Sends Shockwaves Through the Grid.
Q2 produced the headline of the day. As the session reached its climax, Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad produced a late lap that bumped Verstappen out of the top ten. The four-time world champion, already struggling for pace all weekend, was furious on the radio. “The car is completely undriveable,” he told his engineers. He finished eleventh — out of Q3, out of contention for the front rows.
Also eliminated in Q2 were Esteban Ocon, Hülkenberg, Liam Lawson, Colapinto, and Sainz — whose afternoon ended almost as soon as it had begun.
Q3: Antonelli Takes Pole. Russell Has Concerns. Hamilton Shown the Black and White Flag.
In Q3, Mercedes confirmed what Friday had already suggested. Antonelli took pole position — his second consecutive pole following China — with Russell alongside him in second, despite the Briton reporting oversteer and something feeling “not right” with the car. Piastri qualified third, giving McLaren a strong starting position after their difficult morning.
Leclerc was fourth after losing time to understeer on his final lap. Lewis Hamilton was shown the black and white flag for unnecessarily slow driving at the pit exit and finished sixth. Pierre Gasly was best of the rest in seventh. Lindblad continued his impressive weekend in eighth, with Bortoleto and Hadjar completing the top ten.
The Sunday Story: Mercedes Dominant, But Ferrari Will Attack at Turn One
Mercedes arrive at Sunday’s race as heavy favourites. Their long-run pace from Friday left Ferrari and McLaren with no convincing answer. Once the opening stint settles, this is likely to become a Mercedes race.
The subplot, however, is compelling. Antonelli is carrying real momentum — a race win in China, growing support from the fans, and an increasingly prominent standing within the team. Sources suggest the internal dynamic with Russell is generating quiet but tangible pressure. Russell knows it. The tension is palpable, and Sunday will tell us a great deal about how both drivers handle it. Notably, Russell’s engineer Katsuhide Kuwahara is Japanese — making a podium here carry particular personal significance.
Ferrari will not be passive at the start. Their trademark aggressive launch off the line has the potential to disrupt the Mercedes pair before Turn One. Thereafter, the fight for the final podium position between Ferrari and McLaren is the real race within the race.
For Red Bull, this Saturday represents a painful low. Suzuka is one of Verstappen’s favourite circuits. He should not be starting eleventh. The local fans noticed. So did everyone else.
Full 2026 F1 Japanese Grand Prix starting grid
| Position | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 2nd | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 3rd | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 4th | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 5th | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 6th | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 7th | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 8th | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull |
| 9th | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi |
| 10th | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls |
| 11th | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 12th | Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| 13th | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi |
| 14th | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls |
| 15th | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
| 16th | Carlos Sainz | Williams |
| 17th | Alex Albon | Williams |
| 18th | Oliver Bearman | Haas |
| 19th | Sergio Perez | Cadillac |
| 20th | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac |
| 21st | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 22nd | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
Read More
- F1 2026 Japanese Grand Prix: Friday Practice Report from Suzuka — FP1, FP2 and the Stories Behind the Times
- F1 2026 Japanese Grand Prix: Everything That Happened on Thursday at Suzuka
- Senna at Suzuka, Typhoons & Championship Deciders — Mark Sutton Previews the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix
- Kimi Cried in Parc Fermé, the Hamilton Photo That Predicted Everything & China’s F1 Explosion
