Despite tumbling all the way from P1 to P6 on the opening lap, Kimi Antonelli recovered from a slow start and took advantage of the safety car on lap 22 on Sunday to win the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka International Racing Course.
After posting consecutive wins, Antonelli has become the youngest championship leader ever at only 19 years old.
Rounding out the podium in Suzuka were Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc.
McLaren, which had a double-DNF in China, saw defending champion Lando Norris finish 5th.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen finished 8th. Red Bull seems to be struggling with the current set of regulations after dominating the previous years. While the season is still young, they seem to be behind Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren, and barely competitive with the midfield teams.
With the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix cancelled due to the current events in the Middle East, the next race will be in Miami on May 3. Mercedes still seems like the team to beat. However, with the extended 5-week break, many teams will have a chance to retool their chassis and bring upgrades to Miami.
