Kimi Antonelli takes pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix ahead of team-mate George Russell on Saturday as Mercedes tightened their stranglehold on the new Formula One season.
The Silver Arrows have claimed one-two finishes at both grand prix races so far this year and they were again ahead of the field in dry conditions in Suzuka.
The 19-year-old Italian Antonelli became the youngest pole-sitter in F1 history two weeks ago in China and he made it two in a row with a fastest lap of 1:28.778.
Photo: Reuters
Early leader Russell was second, 0.298 seconds behind, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri third and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fourth.
“Super-happy with the session, it was a good one, it was a clean one,” said Antonelli, who won in Shanghai for his maiden grand prix victory. “I felt very good in the car and every run was improving.”
Russell said he was struggling with his car for most of the qualifying session but still had enough pace to get the job done.
“We were both really fast all weekend, we made some adjustments and then at the beginning of the qualifying we were nowhere,” Russell said. “Race is tomorrow and still a lot to play for.”
McLaren’s world champion Lando Norris was fifth, followed by Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
Max Verstappen, who has won the Japanese Grand Prix for the past four years, dropped out in Q2 and starts 11th on the grid.
Verstappen, who crashed out in Q3 in the season-opener in Australia, said his car was “completely undriveable”.
“The car never turns mid-corner and we oversteer a lot on entries,” Verstappen said. “It is really difficult, unpredictable.”
Taiwan’s Lee Hao-yu on Friday went 0-for-3 in his MLB debut for the Detroit Tigers against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, becoming the 19th Taiwan-born player to reach the big leagues. The Tigers ultimately lost 1-0 in 10 innings, ending their six-game winning streak. The 23-year-old started at third base and batted eighth for Detroit. He was promoted from Triple-A Toledo ahead of the four-game series against the Red Sox at the latter’s home stadium, replacing injured utility player Zach McKinstry. “Being right-handed, and given our schedule, I think six of the next 12 games are going to
Matheus Cunha on Saturday fired Manchester United toward the UEFA Champions League with a 1-0 win at Chelsea, while Tottenham Hotspur remain in the relegation zone after twice blowing the lead to draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. Chelsea failed to take advantage of a United defense ravaged by injury and suspension as a fourth straight league defeat for the Blues left their Champions League hopes in ruins. United have missed out on the riches of Europe’s elite competition for the past two seasons, but are closing in on a return thanks to an upturn in fortunes under interim manager
Denmark’s double Olympic badminton champion Viktor Axelsen, long a rival of Taiwan’s former world No. 2 Chou Tien-chen, yesterday announced his retirement at age 32, saying back problems meant he could no longer “compete and train at the highest level.” Axelsen, who won gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and again in Paris in 2024, had back surgery in April last year and said he had not overcome his physical issues. “Accepting this situation has been incredibly difficult,” he said in a statement. “But I have now reached a point where my body won’t allow me to continue.” Axelsen retires as one
Italian soccer is at its lowest ebb in nearly 40 years after a wholesale European exodus at club level followed the nation’s failure for the third successive time to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, and compounded a leadership and structural crisis. The exits suffered by Bologna and ACF Fiorentina on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League respectively meant no Italian teams are left in European competition this season. Italy’s last remaining UEFA Champions League contenders, Atalanta BC, went out in the round of 16 last month. It is the first time since the 1986-1987 campaign that Italian clubs
RSS