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.
Antonelli leads to start lap 29. Piastri is fending Hamilton off for now, but that Ferrari looks like it has come alive on the hard tyres.
Leclerc is also pressuring Russell for fourth. Norris back in sixth from Gasly, Verstappen, Lawson and Ocon.
Antonelli has nailed this restart. He's already 1.6s clear of Piastri, who has Hamilton on his tail now.
The safety car is in and we are racing again!
Antonelli goes and leaves no options for Piastri to have a look at retaking the lead. Hamilton takes third from Russell at Turn 1.
That won't please Russell one bit!
Safety car is ending.
Should be getting going again soon. Now onto lap 27.
Russell still very unhappy over the radio.
Bearman has gone to the medical centre.
The replay of the Bearman crash shows huge closing speeds, though Colapinto moves left for some reason in a move that will probably not be looked at too favourably by the FIA.
The Aston Martins have pitted twice under the safety car as part of some testing work.
The aftermath of the Bearman crash.
This safety car will be out for a while. Bearman's car still being recovered and there's a lot of debris on track where the Haas has gone through marker boards.
Russell is still very unhappy on the radio. Antonelli leads at the start of lap two from Piastri, Russell, Hamilton, Leclerc, Norris, Gasly, Verstappen, Hulkenberg and Lawson.
A replay of the crash shows Bearman was forced wide on the outside of Colapinto into Spoon and ended up on the grass. That was a nasty one.
Bearman is limping away. That looks like it was a big one.
Antonelli is in, as is Hamilton.
Antonelli comes out into the lead ahead of Piastri, while Russell just gets ahead of Hamilton at the pit exit.
That hasn't worked out for Ferrari.
That works wonderfully for Antonelli, Hamilton and Gasly, the leading trio, as they get a cheap pitstop.
That's not ideal timing for Russell, who yells on the radio: "Unbelievable". He did warn his team about extending.
Ollie Bearman has crashed at Spoon.
Safety car.
Antonelli goes into the lead. Hamilton stays out and moves up to second.
Russell has a good stop to the hards, but drops behind Piastri but just ahead of Verstappen.
Russell is coming in.
Norris fastest driver on track in eighth on the hard tyres. Looks like it takes about three laps for the hards to come into form.
Mercedes doesn't pit its drivers again.
Russell leads onto lap 21.
Piastri takes Verstappen into Turn 1 for fifth.
Russell doesn't sound happy with his strategy.
"I think I'm going to lose a lot of race time extending," he tells his engineer.
Mercedes does not bring in either of its drivers at the end of lap 19.
Russell is being closed down by Antonelli at this stage, about 2.4s the gap.
Lindblad has made a stop but it was slow and he's out in 16th.
Piastri goes onto the hard tyres and comes out behind Verstappen in sixth.
Russell heads Antonelli, with Hamilton third, but they are yet to stop.
Piastri pits from the lead. Russell now heads the field.