Antonelli stuns Russell with F1 Japanese GP pole as Verstappen endures tough qualifying - latest:

Follow live F1 updates from the Suzuka circuit as the teenager shows superior speed to British driver Russell
Kimi Antonelli served George Russell a title warning by beating his British team-mate to pole position for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.

Buoyed by his maiden victory in China a fortnight ago, Antonelli delivered another composed performance as he secured top spot in Suzuka by 0.298 seconds.

Russell holds a four-point championship lead over Antonelli but he was no match for the Italian teenager during a session in which he grumbled about the handling of his Mercedes .

Oscar Piastri took third place for McLaren, one spot clear of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

World champion Lando Norris starts fifth with Lewis Hamilton sixth, and Max Verstappen a distant 11th.

Russell opened his season with victory in Australia but Antonelli laid down his own championship marker by winning from pole last time out in Shanghai.

At the previous round, Russell's bid for pole was derailed by technical gremlins after he broke down in Q3.

However, here he was simply outgunned by Antonelli's pure pace.

Follow live updates from the Japanese Grand Prix
Charles Leclerc after qualifying fourth:
“It’s very frustrating because in Q3, you go into that last lap and you try things which are above what you’ve tried before.

The system needs to reoptimise everything.

I lose time in the straights, you never put a lap together, always comprimising things.

“We’re more exposed to that than the Mercedes engine.

The FIA are still looking to fix those issues.

Apart from that, I was very happy with my lap.

“This would be arrogant to say like that but I think for everybody, going into Q3 is not the nicest feeling, we want to be at the limit of the cars but you pay the price with a snap.

Whenever you play with the limit, you get destroyed in the straights.

“You need to be under the limit, I think it’s less rewarding for the drivers who want to push over it.

Usually in Q3 it pays off, but not with these cars.”
1.

Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - 1:28:778
2.

George Russell (Mercedes) +0.298
3.

Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.354
4.

Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.627
5.

Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.631
6.

Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.789
7.

Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +0.913
8.

Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) +1.200
9.

Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) +1.496
10.

Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +1.541
11.

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 1:30:262
12.

Esteban Ocon (Haas) - 1:30:309
13.

Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) - 1:30:387
14.

Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) - 1:30:395
15.

Franco Colapinto (Alpine) - 1:30:627
16.

Carlos Sainz (Williams) - 1:31:033
17.

Alex Albon (Williams) - 1:31:088
18.

Ollie Bearman (Haas) - 1:31:090
19.

Sergio Perez (Cadillac) - 1:32:206
20.

Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) - 1:32:330
21.

Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - 1:32:645
22.

Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) -1:32:920
Lewis Hamilton after qualifying sixth:
On qualifying: “I’m feeling pretty decent, we’re just not very quick compared to Mercedes and McLaren.

“My first lap I was up, lost two-tenths on the straight, had a snap, changed the deployment.

If we didn’t have that, I probably would have had fourth.

It’s just the way this deployment situation is.

On race: “I don’t know if we can turn it into a podium, our race-distance.

McLaren have taken a step forward and they have the Mercedes engine which is naturally a long way ahead of us.

“Even if you bring a three-tenths upgrade, it’s still a long way off.

To close that gap is going to take us a mighty push.”
Lando Norris, after qualifying P5:
“It impacted our ability to test things, also to do high fuel running for tomorrow, it’s been difficult, I’ve been playing a lot of catch-up.

I don’t feel like I was on top form, made a couple of mistakes on my final lap.

“I’m happy to P5, very close to Charles, I did a good job.

Could I have been better?

Yes.

Could have been a lot worse.

“We certainly felt better yesterday.

We seemed to take a step forward in quali now.

Cars are sensitive to wind etc, we’re happy with the team today.”
“He’s just calm, not putting himself too much under pressure.

Put a banker in, then pushed it a bit hard.

It’s really pleasing to see.

George: “We did a set-up tweak, it put the car on the nose, too much oversteer, was very difficult for him.

“He needs to carry this into the race.”
Oscar Piastri after qualifying P3:
“Qualifying has been OK this year, nice to be in the top three.

“We clearly don’t have the pace or grip to match Mercedes.”
George Russell after qualifying P2:
“Strange session, we were both very happy IN FP3.

“Beginning of qualifying, we were nowhere, very lucky to be P2.”
Kimi Antonelli after claiming pole:
“Super happy with the session.

Was a clean one.

Now we focus on tomorrow.

“The fans here in Japan are pretty incredible.

Racing in such a historic track is an incredible feeling, thank you so much for coming.”
“Let’s go man!

It’s a shame the last lap, it was a good one, good I’m happy!

Good quali!”
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