Antonelli takes pole for Japanese Grand Prix ahead of Russell
Kimi Antonelli will start tomorrow’s Japanese Grand Prix on pole ahead of his teammate George Russell - Issei Kato/Reuters Kimi Antonelli backed up his win in China two weeks ago by beating Mercedes team-mate George Russell to pole position at Suzuka. It is the second successive pole for the teenage driver. If Antonelli beats Russell again in Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, he will replace the Briton as championship leader and speculation is sure to grow that he can mount a serious challenge for the title.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff dismissed that prospect following Antonelli’s maiden win in Shanghai, but pundits in Suzuka have noticed a change in the Italian’s demeanour. Antonelli’s first lap in the final session was 0. 298secs quicker than Russell’s.
He was on course to improve on his final run but locked up into the hairpin and lost time. Russell could not improve either. Wolff apologised for compromising Russell’s pace with a “set-up issue”, which appeared to slow him in the final sector particularly.
“It put the car on the nose, probably too much oversteer,” Wolff said. “It made it very difficult for him. I think he needs to carry this in the race, which is definitely a disadvantage.
” Behind the two Mercedes, who locked out the front row in Japan for the first time since 2018, McLaren made a big leap. Oscar Piastri, who was just under four tenths off Antonelli’s pace, claimed third place on the grid, ahead of the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, while world champion Lando Norris beat the second Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton to fifth despite missing most of final practice after his battery needed replacing. Elsewhere, Max Verstappen’s miserable season continued as Red Bull’s four-time world champion, who had taken pole at the last four Japan races, failed to make the final top 10 shoot-out.
Continue to the original source for the full article.