Winners and losers from F1 2026 Japanese GP qualifying
The Race • • sports
Key Points:
- Aston Martin struggled significantly at the Japanese Grand Prix qualifying, with both drivers finishing last and the car showing severe performance and reliability issues, including unexplained vibrations and lack of aerodynamic optimization.
- Max Verstappen faced a rare setback, being eliminated in Q2 and outqualified by his teammate Isack Hadjar, leading to visible frustration and speculation about his future in F1 amid the challenges of the 2026 regulations.
- Kimi Antonelli secured pole position with a consistent and strong performance, signaling his emergence as a key Mercedes driver and setting up a potential championship battle with teammate George Russell.
- McLaren's Oscar Piastri impressed by qualifying third, outperforming both Ferraris in Q3 and demonstrating McLaren's improving competitiveness, though the team still trails Mercedes and Ferrari overall.
- Other notable performances included Pierre Gasly's solid seventh place for Alpine, showing progress, while Nico Hulkenberg and Alex Albon experienced disappointments due to mistakes and technical issues, respectively.
