F1 Qualifying Results: Antonelli takes back-to-back poles after disaster for Verstappen

Max Verstappen, Kimi Antonelli, Red Bull, Mercedes, Bahrain, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 Qualifying Results: Antonelli takes back-to-back poles after disaster for Verstappen

The qualifying results from the Japanese Grand Prix will be available here

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 28 March 2026 08:27

Mercedes starlet Kimi Antonelli beat team-mate George Russell in Japanese Grand Prix qualifying to take his second pole position in as many races.

The teenager took pole by almost three tenths of a second from Russell, with Oscar Piastri just half a tenth back from the second Mercedes in third place. He will be joined on the second row by the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, who was going well on a final fast lap before a huge snap of oversteer in the second sector.

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.

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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.

F1 Qualifying Results: Japanese Grand Prix 2026

Japanese Grand Prix Qualifying Results
Position	Driver	Team	Time
1	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	1:28.778
2	George Russell	Mercedes	+0.298s
3	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+0.354s
4	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.627s
5	Lando Norris	McLaren	+0.631s
6	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	+0.789s
7	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	+0.913s
8	Isack Hadjar	Red Bull	+1.200s
9	Gabriel Bortoleto	Audi	+1.496s
10	Arvid Lindblad	Racing Bulls	+1.541s
11	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	ELIMINATED IN Q2
12	Esteban Ocon	Haas	ELIMINATED IN Q2
13	Nico Hulkenberg	Audi	ELIMINATED IN Q2
14	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	ELIMINATED IN Q2
15	Franco Colapinto	Alpine	ELIMINATED IN Q2
16	Carlos Sainz	Williams	ELIMINATED IN Q2
17	Alex Albon	Williams	ELIMINATED IN Q1
18	Oliver Bearman	Haas	ELIMINATED IN Q1
19	Sergio Perez	Cadillac	ELIMINATED IN Q1
20	Valtteri Bottas	Cadillac	ELIMINATED IN Q1
21	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	ELIMINATED IN Q1
22	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	ELIMINATED IN Q1

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.

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