Formula One 2026: Japanese Grand Prix Race Updates – Live

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Preseason expectations that nan Mercedes would beryllium nan people of nan section successful 2026 and been beautiful soundly validated crossed nan opening 2 rounds, pinch Russell starring nan title standings from Antonelli by 4 points acknowledgment to his sprint triumph successful China.

And Russell he told Giles Richards this week, nan lumps he took erstwhile he first arrived successful F1, finishing up adjacent nan backmost successful a troublesome Williams, person helped move him into nan title favourite he is today.

Here’s Giles Richards’ afloat study connected qualifying from Suzuka.

Preamble

Joey Lynch

Howdy all, it’s ya boi Joey Lynch, and invited to nan Guardian’s continued sum of nan 2026 Formula One world title – coming bringing you each nan action from nan Japanese Grand Prix, nether nan cherry blossoms astatine nan legendary Suzuka Circuit.

For nan third-race successful a statement successful 2026, we’ll person an all-Mercedes beforehand statement for today’s title and, besides for nan second-race successful a row, it’ll beryllium phenom Kimi Antonelli starting from rod position: nan young Italian pushing teammate George Russell into 2nd connected nan grid by 0.298 seconds in qualifying yesterday.

The past 4 races astatine Suzuka person each been won by nan pole-sitter, which will service arsenic a beardown omen for nan 19-year-old arsenic he looks to backmost up his maiden F1 triumph successful China a fortnight agone – 1 successful which he didn’t rather spell coast-to-coast from rod but successful which he seldom looked troubled arsenic he cruised to victory.

The man that claimed those erstwhile 4 wins, however, didn’t person arsenic bully a time of things yesterday: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen failing to suffice for Q3 and group to commencement from P11 today.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri will commencement from 3rd – nan Australian still yet to complete a title thigh this play aft crashing during a recon thigh astatine Albert Park and being sunk by mechanical issues successful Shanghai – while nan Ferrari of Charles Leclerc will subordinate him connected nan second-row.

It’ll beryllium papaya and reddish connected nan 3rd row, too, pinch defending world champion Lando Norris successful 5th and Lewis Hamilton – caller disconnected claiming his first podium for nan prancing pony successful China – successful sixth.

Lights spell retired astatine 2pm local/6am GMT/4pm AEDT