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For the second-straight race, the Italian national anthem rings out over the podium.
After waiting two decades to see one of their countrymen salute, those of an Italian persuasion have now heard their anthem played twice in a fortnight.
Leclerc on the broadcast, also wondering what may have been without the safety car.
double quotation markWith the Safety Car we got unlucky [with the timing], so I was on the back foot, and I just had to bring the tyres to the end. But the feeling was not that bad. It was a fun race, just not enough to get Oscar.
Piastri’s thoughts on the coverage:
double quotation markWould have been really interesting to see what would have happened without [the Safety Car]. A shame to not see what would have happened.
But a massive thanks to the team, we did a good job executing with what we have.
Antonelli speaking with Damon Hill on the broadcast:
double quotation markIt feels pretty good! It’s still early to think about the championship but we are in a good way. A terrible start, I need to check what happened but the safety car helped. A good second stint, I felt good with the car.
I have a few weeks, so I can practice some clutch drops as it has been a weakness this year.
We were lucky with the safety car, but on the hard, the pace was incredible. Definitely made my life a lot easier!
ShareHow it finished in Suzuka
1 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari
4 George Russell Mercedes
5 Lando Norris (C) McLaren
6 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari
7 Pierre Gasly Alpine
8 Max Verstappen Red Bull
9 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls
10 Esteban Ocon Haas
11 Nico Hulkenberg Audi
12 Isack Hadjar Red Bull
13 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi
14 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls
15 Carlos Sainz Williams
16 Franco Colapinto Alpine
17 Sergio Perez Cadillac
18 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin
19 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac
20 Alex Albon Williams
DNF Lance Stroll Aston Martin
DNF Oliver BearmanHaas
After going back-to-back, Antonelli has almost vaulted to the top of the drivers’ standings, making him the youngest driver to ever lead the F1 World Championship.
Updated at 02.57 EDT
The turning point of the race, ultimately, proved to be the safety car that followed Bearman’s crash – Russell having come in a lap prior and thus falling behind Antonelli (Piastri was also making up a bit of time at that moment), who was able to grab a cheap pit when it emerged.
Updated at 02.52 EDT
Piastri on the radio: “Turns out when we start these things, we’re pretty good.”
Very good, Oscar. Very good.
Updated at 02.47 EDT
Kimi Antonelli wins the Japanese Grand Prix
Lap 53/53: As Jack Black waves the chequered flag, Antonelli goes back-to-back in Japan! He had a horrible start but the fortunate timing of the safety car handed him a lifeline and he’s taken full advantage!
Piastri rolls through in P2, with Leclerc holding off Russell and keeping the Mercedes off the podium. Norris comes through in P5, followed by Hamilton, and despite a massive late push, Verstappen comes in behind Gasly.
Lawson comes through in ninth, with Ocon rounding out the top ten.
Updated at 02.52 EDT
Lap 52/53: Norris goes down the inside of Hamilton and, this time, is able to hold onto P5 heading into turn one! The defending champion perhaps using the lessons of the prior lap to better execute his overtake on this occasion.
Antonelli leads, followed by Piastri and Leclerc in the race of the podium.
Lap 51/53: Russell darts past Leclerc and Norris gets past Hamilton!
But the Ferraris respond immediately, with both using seizing their place back coming down into turn one.
Updated at 02.45 EDT
Lap 50/53: As we hit the half-century of laps, Antonelli is well out in front and set to take out this GP short of disaster. Piastri looks set for a P2 in his first completed race of the campaign, with Leclerc and Russell fighting for the last spot on the podium.
Hamilton continues to hold off Norris for P5, as does Gasly with Verstappen for P7. Lawson and Ocon round out the top ten.
Lap 49/53: Remarkably, if you’ve been following the team’s travails this season, the Aston Martin of Alonso is still out on the track. He’s not last, either: sitting in P18 in front of Bottas and Albon – the latter of whom just pitted for the fourth time in what is now a glorified testing session.
Lap 48/53: No further investigation of Hamilton for his lock-up and subsequent corner. Norris attacks his Ferrari as that news flashes up and takes P5, only for the veteran Brit to react quickly and snatch the position back almost immediately.
Lap 47/53: Hamilton has fallen away and is now more than two seconds back of Leclerc and Russell’s battle for the former’s P3 slot.
Bearman is shown picture-in-picture on the screen limping a bit but otherwise looking well. That’s a relief.
Lap 46/53: Antonelli continues to lead from Piastri and Leclerc. Russell is less than half a second back of the Ferrari for P3, with Hamilton and Norris battling for P5. Gasly and Verstappen are fighting for P7, while Lawson and Ocon round out the top ten.
Lap 45/53: With Norris on his tail, Hamilton has a lock-up and leaves the track.
Norris gets on the radio, saying that the Ferrari needs to give up the position after cutting the apex. The stewards will have a looksie.
Updated at 02.34 EDT
Lap 44/53: Verstappen is on the radio talking about how quick the Alpine of Gasly is, with the Red Bull driver attempting to vault over him into P7.
Imagine saying that last year.
Lap 43/53: Antonelli has just set a new quickest lap of the race – going also a second quicker than Piastri behind him did. The gap is now more than 11 seconds.
The only thing that could stop the 19-year-old from going back-to-back, at this point, you’d think, is himself.
Lap 42/53: Russell now moves up to put the pressure on Hamilton and blasts past him on the home straight.
The Brit’s Ferrari had been losing time on the straights, meaning it was probably only a matter of time once the Mercedes had him in its sights.
Updated at 02.46 EDT
Lap 41/53: Leclerc again tries to dart down the outside of Hamilton but, again, the Brit slams the door shut!
But then Leclerc gets ahead coming down into turn one! They almost took each other out in the process but the Monégasque driver has P3!
Lap 40/53: Antonelli is streaking away into the clear air in front of him, now nearly ten seconds clear of second-placed Piastri.
Hamilton sees Leclerc looking to overtake and slams the door shut. Then he does so again. The Ferraris are racing; YLTSI.
Lap 39/53: Antonelli leads from Piastri and Hamilton.
Hamilton, though, doesn’t have the speed of teammate Leclerc, so it looks like the Ferraris are, again, are going to racing at some point.
Russell sits in P5, followed by Norris, Gasly, Verstappen, Lawson, and Ocon.
Lap 38/53: Ok, looks like just a blip from Russell as he’s now looking unencumbered once more – only now he’s got both Ferraris in front of him. Maybe a battery issue? Ran out of juice for a moment?
George Russell follows the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton. Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 02.27 EDT
Lap 37/53: Russell has a problem?!?! He loses power and is straight-up overtaken by Leclerc.
Lap 36/53: Russell continues to duck and dive but, ultimately, remains frustrated in his efforts to overtake Hamilton.
In the other Mercedes, the clear air in front of Antonelli is being greedily taken advantage of: the 19-year-old the fastest man on the track and now nearly six seconds clear of second-placed Piastri.
Lap 35/53: The McLaren pit wall has briefly lost power. That’s something you don’t get every race day.
Antonelli leads from Piastri and Hamilton, with Russell, and Leclerc rounding out the top five. Next is Norris, followed by Gasly, Verstappen, Lawson, and Ocon.
Lap 34/53: A gap of a second has opened up between Piastri in P2 and Hamilton in P3 – both bolstering the Australian’s hold on a podium and making Russell’s task of chasing down his teammate even more difficult with every lap he’s held off by Hamilton.
Lap 33/53: Russell, left highly frustrated by the timing of the safety car and then being vaulted by Hamilton following the re-start, is doing his best to try and overtake the Ferrari but, for now, is being held at bay by the veteran.
Lap 32/53: Good news, as confirmation filters through that Bearman has been cleared of any fractures after his hard hit into the wall.