George Russell will start from fifth, and Kimi Antonelli from sixth for tomorrow’s Japanese Grand Prix, following a thrilling but challenging qualifying session. Despite a disrupted FP2 on Friday, both drivers were eager to push their programs forward during the final practice session this morning. Though the session was briefly halted by two red flags, George continued to impress, finishing P3, while Kimi gained valuable confidence and momentum.
In qualifying, George demonstrated consistent speed, making it through to Q3, while Kimi progressively improved throughout the session, securing his second consecutive appearance in the final segment. The tightly contested field saw multiple drivers in contention for pole position, but a slight snap of oversteer at Turn 2 cost George valuable time on his final lap. He was unable to improve his initial Q3 time, leaving him with P5.
Kimi, on the other hand, showed great improvement, particularly in the tricky first sector. With valuable advice from Third Driver Valtteri Bottas—an experienced Suzuka race winner—Kimi found his rhythm, culminating in a solid 1:27.555. This effort secured him P6, his best-ever starting position in F1, lining him up alongside George on the third row.
With rain predicted overnight and mixed conditions expected for tomorrow’s 53-lap race, the team is preparing for all possibilities.
Qualifying Results:
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George Russell:
FP3: P3 – 1:27.843
Q1: P2 – 1:27.400
Q2: P2 – 1:27.318
Q3: P5 – 1:27.318 -
Kimi Antonelli:
FP3: P13 – 1:27.968
Q1: P8 – 1:27.639
Q2: P7 – 1:27.555
Q3: P6 – 1:27.555
Driver Reactions:
George Russell:
“P5 feels disappointing considering how strong we’ve been all weekend. We definitely had the pace to be in the fight for the front row, but my final lap didn’t come together. The cooler track temperatures meant the tires weren’t quite in the right window, and I had a big moment at Turn 2, which cost me a couple of tenths.
Even though we’re not starting at the front, our pace is solid, and I’m confident we can challenge for a podium tomorrow. Rain or shine, we’ll be ready to make the most of it.”
Kimi Antonelli:
“I’m happy with my session. I struggled a bit with confidence in practice but made solid progress through qualifying. Bono and Valtteri have been a great help in guiding me, and I managed to find more speed with each lap. P6 is a great result for me, and I know there’s still more to come, especially in Sector 1.
With the rain forecast, it’s going to be an interesting race, but I’m looking forward to it and will continue building my confidence around the track. Let’s see what tomorrow brings!”
Bradley Lord, Team Representative:
“Qualifying has left us with mixed feelings. George has shown strong pace all weekend, consistently running in the top three. Unfortunately, his final lap didn’t come together as planned, and he lost time at Turn 2, which cost him a chance to improve. Still, he has the pace to fight for a podium tomorrow. For Kimi, it’s been a weekend of steady progress. He’s put together a strong lap and earned his best-ever F1 qualifying position. Starting from row three gives us a good chance, and with the possibility of rain, it could make for an exciting race. We’ll need to be ready for whatever comes.”
Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director:
“George is understandably frustrated with P5. He’s been one of the fastest drivers all weekend, and we know the car has the potential to be at the front. Unfortunately, we misjudged the tire temperatures for his final lap, which led to a loss of grip and a snap of oversteer at Turn 2, costing him a few tenths. On Kimi’s side, it’s been a learning curve. Despite the disruptions in practice, he made steady progress and delivered a solid performance, improving with each lap. P6 is a great result, and we can be proud of how he’s handled the weekend.”
“We’re expecting rain overnight, and it’s still unclear whether the race will be wet or dry. If its wet, qualifying position matters less, but we’ll need good strategy and communication to make the most of it. If the conditions are dry, we’re in a strong position to fight for a podium, provided our race pace matches the pace we’ve shown all weekend.”
Looking Ahead:
With unpredictable weather conditions ahead, tomorrow’s race promises to be full of potential surprises. However, both drivers are prepared to tackle whatever Suzuka throws at them and aim for a strong result.