What Kimi Antonelli is achieving at such a young age was yesterday underlined by Formula 1 chiefs having to quickly pivot to their podium plan B. Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc got their champagne as usual, but it was only an unlabelled bottle of sparkling rose water for the winner of the Japanese Grand Prix.
Because 20 is the legal drinking age in the Asian country and Antonelli remains a teenager until August. Yet he’s already a multi-Grand Prix winner and might have a sackful more by the time he turns 20 at this rate. Compared to his maiden win in Shanghai two weeks ago, this one was less straightforward.
Antonelli qualified on pole but looked to have thrown his opportunity away with an awful getaway off the line. But luck shone again on the talented teenager when his old Formula 2 team-mate Oliver Bearman’s crash brought out the safety car, moments after his current partner had stopped for new tyres.
“Wow. F***! Our luck in these last two races,” George Russell spat over the radio. His mood didn’t improve when he slipped from third to fifth behind both Ferraris after the restart, because he couldn’t get his battery to recharge.
Russell managed to get back in front of Lewis Hamilton but his best attempt at passing Leclerc saw him edge in front momentarily, only for the Ferrari to come roaring back past around the outside of turn one in spectacular fashion.
With that move his chances of at least reaching the podium had vanished and Antonelli was the only Mercedes driver with the taste of champagne on his lips. But that was only because Piastri and Leclerc had covered him in their grape juice for grown-ups.
Like Russell, the Aussie was also hampered by that safety car. We’ll never know what would have happened if it never appeared, but Piastri had been holding off Russell admirably having finally made it to a Grand Prix starting grid at the third attempt in 2026. He chuckled over the radio after finishing second: “Wow, it turns out when we start these things, we’re pretty good.”
McLaren‘s performance in general was much improved at Suzuka and Piastri felt they “nailed everything”. Though he was left to lament that Antonelli roared away at the safety car restart and disappeared up the road.
He said: “The fact that I could keep George behind for so long was really encouraging. But we’re under no illusions. We did everything right this weekend and we still got beaten by 15 seconds.”
Max Verstappen was the winner of the previous four Suzuka races heading into this one. But he wasn’t a factor, qualifying only 11th and completing an unspectacular drive to eighth – before confirming that he’s considering his F1 future. Verstappen said after yesterday’s race that he will spend the next “weeks and months” thinking about whether to stick around beyond this year.
“I have things to figure out about what I really want,” the Dutchman said. “Is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family when you’re not enjoying your sport? I want to be here to enjoy myself. At the moment that’s not really the case. I’m trying. I keep telling myself every day to try to enjoy it. It’s just very hard.”