The 19-year-old posted a remarkable qualifying lap of 1:28.778 at the renowned Suzuka Circuit, highlighting his swift ascent in the sport.
Joining Antonelli on the front row will be his Mercedes teammate George Russell, who is also having a strong season, having won the opening race in Australia and taken pole there, indicating early dominance for the German squad.
On the second row, Oscar Piastri of McLaren will partner with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, while McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton will occupy the third row.
With confidence on his side, Antonelli enters Sunday’s race as the driver to watch, as Mercedes aims to bolster their early-season lead.
“It was a good one. It was a clean one,” Antonelli remarked. “I felt very good in the car. I’m really happy with the session, and now we focus on tomorrow.”
For the second consecutive race, the young Italian bested the more experienced British driver.
“He did a great job again,” the 28-year-old Russell said.
Antonelli’s fastest lap was three-tenths of a second quicker than Russell, a significant margin in Formula 1.
“Overall, it was a very strong session,” Antonelli noted. “But with the (new) regulations, it’s quite easy to gain or lose three-tenths. Time can fluctuate easily.”
This season, Formula 1 cars are equally powered by battery and combustion engines, and the chassis have been designed to be smaller and more agile. This has facilitated overtaking in the first two races.
However, Suzuka’s traditional layout is narrower with fewer straights, making overtaking more challenging.
“There can be good racing, but I don’t think it will be as straightforward as in China and Melbourne,” Antonelli stated. “The track is quite tight, and there aren’t as many opportunities to overtake. A strong start will be crucial.”
Russell faced difficulties throughout the session, feeling fortunate to end up in second place. Early on, he found himself further back in the pack.
“The car just didn’t feel consistent with how it was all weekend,” Russell commented.
Two weeks ago in China, both McLaren cars were forced to retire from the race due to electrical issues, and in Australia, Piastri crashed before the race could even begin. Consequently, starting from the second row is a success for the Australian.
“This weekend we’ve looked competitive,” Piastri stated. “We executed well. While we clearly don’t have the pace to match Mercedes yet, we are closing the gap.”
Four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull will start from 11th position after struggling and expressing concerns about his car over the radio.
“I think something is wrong with the car, mate. It was completely undrivable,” he said.
Saturday’s qualifying took place under sunny spring weather, with similar conditions expected for Sunday.
(With AP inputs)
