07:30
Lap 45/53
Standings on lap 45:
- Antonelli
- Piastri
- Leclerc
- Russell
- Hamilton
- Norris
- Gasly
- Verstappen
- Lawson
- Ocon
- Hadjar
- Hulkenberg
- Bortoleto
- Lindblad
- Sainz
- Colapinto
- Albon
- Perez
- Alonso
- Bottas
Piastri takes the lead at the start of the Japanese Grand Prix
F1 Japanese GP as it happened: Antonelli wins after safety car for huge Bearman crash
Live coverage of the 2026 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix
KEY MOMENTS
- Antonelli wins the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix
- Bearman crash brings out safety car
- Race was delayed by 10 minutes due to support series crash
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli starts from pole
- Max Verstappen 11th after Q2 exit
The third round of the 2026 Formula 1 season continues on Sunday 29 March with the 53-lap Japanese Grand Prix from Suzuka.
The iconic Suzuka circuit acts as the venue for Formula 1's Japanese Grand Prix, as Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli starts on pole for the second time this season.
The 19-year-old Italian broke his duck last time out in China when he claimed a maiden pole, which he converted into a first grand prix victory.
He will be looking to do the same after a qualifying in which Mercedes stretched its legs, with Antonelli's team-mate George Russell slotting into second after a tricky session.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri led the best-of-the-rest charge behind the works Mercedes team, as the Woking outfit's car appears to be working much better at Suzuka than in previous rounds.
Piastri was able to fend off the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, who will start fourth, while Lando Norris managed fifth in the sister McLaren despite the reigning world champion struggling with technical issues all weekend.
Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari is "miles and miles away" from Mercedes this weekend, as he goes from sixth on the grid with much tougher task in matching his podium from China.
Pierre Gasly put the Alpine seventh on the grid to give the Enstone team top honours in a tight midfield race, while Isack Hadjar was eighth for Red Bull after team-mate Max Verstappen fell out of Q2 in 11th spot.
Gabriel Bortoleto was ninth for Audi, while Arvid Lindblad sneaked his Racing Bull into the top 10 with a lap in Q2 that dumped Verstappen out of the mix.
Aston Martin brings up the rear of the field for engine supplier Honda's home grand prix, as the Japanese marque will be hoping its vibration countermeasures allows both cars to get to the chequered flag.
The 2026 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix begins at 6am BST.
29 Mar 2026
07:28
Lap 44/53
Piastri is looking potentially vulnerable in second with 10 laps to go.
He's 2.3s clear of Leclerc at this stage, who is busy fending off Russell for third.
07:26
Lap 43/53
Antonelli's lead is now 10s clear of Piastri.
Russell eases by Hamilton into Turn 1 for fourth as the Ferrari lost power into the corner.
07:25
Lap 42/53
Leclerc makes the move on Hamilton on the outside of Turn 1, the pair nearly touching! That was a brave move.
Leclerc now third, as Hamilton comes under threat from Russell.
07:24
Leclerc tries to go to the outside of Hamilton at the chicane but has been fended off.
07:23
Verstappen has made little progress in getting ahead of Gasly for seventh.
07:23
Antonelli is 8.6s clear in the lead now from Piastri, while Russell is getting back into this P3 battle.
07:23
Lap 41/53
Leclerc says he is losing time behind Hamilton, so he wants Ferrari to let him go through.
But Hamilton holds firm into Turn 1 at the start of lap 41.
07:22
Ollie Bearman suffers knee injury in huge 50G crash at F1 Japanese GP
Ollie Bearman suffered a huge crash in the Japanese Grand Prix and has hurt his knee in the impact.
Ollie Bearman suffers knee injury in huge 50G crash at F1 Japanese GP
Bearman suffered a huge crash at Suzuka
07:21
Lap 40/53
Laps ticking away quickly now. Feels like the battle for third is going to start heating up soon.
07:20
Lap 39/53
Antonelli's march at the front continues as his lead is up to seven seconds over Piastri.
Hamilton is third from Ferrari team-mate Leclerc and Russell.
Norris is sixth from Gasly, Verstappen, Lawson and Ocon.
07:18
Lap 38/53
Antonelli leads by 6.2s from Piastri and Hamilton, while Leclerc is fourth now ahead of Russell.
Not sure we're going to have many positive things said by Russell after this race!
07:17
Russell has just lost a place to Leclerc into Spoon. A possible deployment issue?
07:17
Lap 37/53
Antonelli's lead is now six seconds over Piastri.
07:16
Lap 36/53
Still no change at the front.
Behind, it's pretty even between Hamilton, Russell and Leclerc in the battle for third.
07:13
Lap 35/53
Antonelli's lead is now almost five seconds at the start of lap 35 from Piastri, Hamilton and Russell.
Meanwhile, McLaren apparently has a power outage on its pitwall.
07:13
Verstappen is down in eighth at the moment. He's about 0.7s behind Gasly, but doesn't look like much more is on offer beyond seventh today for the Red Bull.
07:12
Lap 34/53
Hamilton has got a job on to keep Russell behind him now for third. However, letting the Mercedes go and get Piastri ahead may not be such a bad thing in his hopes of still getting a podium.
07:11
Lap 33/53
We're onto lap 33 now and it's as you were at the front of this race.
07:10
Lap 32/53
The stewards have decided no action necessary on the Bearman/Colapinto incident.
Surprising no investigation after the race, even just to establish from the drivers' points of view. But they also have a lot of data to hand and feel the closing speed - 45km/h difference - meant nothing anyone could do.
07:08
Update on Bearman from Haas.
"50G impact - has had x-ray at Medical Centre. No fractures - a right knee contusion following the impact."
07:07
Retirement: Lance Stroll
Lance Stroll's race is over. He's been told to box because "we have an issue".
07:07
Lap 31/53
Antonelli now leads by 2.6s from Piastri.
07:07
The stewards are looking into the Bearman/Colapinto incident.
Meanwhile, Hamilton says Piastri is exceeding track limits.
07:05
Lap 30/53
Now onto lap 30. Antonelli leads by 1.8s from Piastri.
All holding station for now behind.