What the teams said – Race day in Japan

Kimi Antonelli claimed his second consecutive victory at the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, overcoming a poor start that initially dropped him to sixth place. A well-timed Safety Car period, triggered by a crash involving Oliver Bearman, allowed Antonelli to take a cheap pit stop and emerge in the lead. From there, he dominated the race, finishing nearly 14 seconds ahead of his competitors. Oscar Piastri secured a strong second place for McLaren, while Charles Leclerc rounded out the podium for Ferrari after a hard-fought battle with George Russell. George Russell, who finished fourth, experienced a frustrating race after pitting just one lap before the Safety Car. He lost further positions during the restart due to technical issues, specifically hitting a harvesting limit and a software-related 'superclip'. Meanwhile, the race saw intense mid-field action, with Pierre Gasly successfully holding off Max Verstappen for seventh place for over 25 laps. Oliver Bearman, whose accident brought out the Safety Car, walked away from the incident without major injuries. The teams now head into a month-long break, aiming to analyze data and introduce performance upgrades before the season resumes in Miami.