Kimi Antonelli took his second pole position in as many races with a brilliant lap in Japanese Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday.
The Mercedes star will be joined once again on the front row by his Mercedes team-mate George Russell, who complained about his car for much of the session, with Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc behind them on the second row.
That exact pattern is repeated on the third row, with Lando Norris ahead of Lewis Hamilton in fifth and sixth respectively – surely too far back for even the mighty starting power of the Ferrari to challenge for the lead.
Earlier in the session, Max Verstappen was knocked out of the session in Q2 by Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad.
Verstappen will start Sunday’s race from 11th on the grid, and was complaining over the radio after his exit that his Red Bull was ‘completely undrivable’, having been outqualified by his team-mate Isack Hadjar for the second time in this young season.
READ MORE: Verstappen reacts after disqualification heartbreak’
Changes to F1 Qualifying in 2026
There are a couple of changes to the way qualifying works this year, not quite as sweeping as the new technical regulations.
Firstly we now have 22 cars on the grid, so instead of 5 cars exiting after Q1 and Q2, we will have 6 being eliminated. That still leaves 10 for the pole shootout in Q3.
The other notable change is in the timings – Q3 now gets an extra minute and lasts for 13 rather than 12.
READ MORE: F1 journalist kicked out by Verstappen breaks silence over Japanese GP storm
