Teen prodigy Antonelli seals Suzuka pole as Mercedes lock front row
Suzuka— Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured his second consecutive pole position as Mercedes completed a front-row lockout in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit on Saturday.
The 19-year-old Italian set the fastest lap of 1:28.778, narrowly edging teammate George Russell, while Oscar Piastri of McLaren-Mercedes qualified third.Antonelli, who became the youngest pole-sitter in Formula One history a week earlier, continued his strong form after clinching his maiden victory at the Chinese Grand Prix.
His latest performance reinforces Mercedes’ early-season dominance, with the team now claiming pole position in all three races so far, including Russell’s at the season opener in Australia.
“It was a good session, I’m happy with it,” Antonelli said, noting steady improvements across laps despite a lock-up at Turn 11 on his final run.
“I felt good in the car, felt good with the track, and now focusing on the race.”Russell, who leads the drivers’ standings with 51 points after two races, remains narrowly ahead of Antonelli on 47, setting up a potential intra-team battle as the season progresses.
Antonelli said maintaining consistency would be key as he continues adapting to the car and extracting performance without overreaching. “It’s about keeping the momentum and improving step by step,” he added.
