George Russell rues bad luck as Kimi Antonelli claims second straight win at Japanese Grand Prix

Kimi Antonelli knocked George Russell disconnected nan F1 world title acme aft he claimed his 2nd triumph successful a statement astatine Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Antonelli took advantage of a information car play pursuing British driver Ollie Bearman’s tremendous 191mph clang astatine Suzuka to onshore a free pit extremity and leapfrog his rivals.

The Italian teenager, who landed his debut triumph successful China a fortnight ago, took nan chequered emblem 13.7 seconds clear of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, while Charles Leclerc kept Russell astatine bay to decorativeness third.

Russell, who yelled, “Unbelievable!” aft he changed tyres conscionable moments earlier nan race-changing information car, now trails Antonelli by 9 points pursuing a 13-point title plaything successful favour of his 19-year-old Mercedes teammate.

Lando Norris vanished fifth, 1 spot up of Lewis Hamilton, pinch four-time world champion Max Verstappen eighth.

Antonelli, aged 19 years 216 days, becomes nan first teen to lead nan world championship. He started from rod position but was sixth by nan first area pursuing a desperately slow commencement successful his Mercedes.

Russell, who was alongside him connected nan beforehand row, mislaid 2 places, pinch Piastri clearing some Mercedes drivers to return complaint of nan race.

Leclerc slotted into 2nd pinch Norris third, Russell 4th and Hamilton successful fifth, up of Antonelli.

Russell picked disconnected Norris and past Leclerc connected nan 3rd and 4th laps, pinch Piastri conscionable 1.8 seconds up nan road. And astatine nan last chicane connected thigh eight, Russell swatted Piastri aside, only for nan McLaren man to title backmost past connected nan pit straight.

On to nan sole information of pit stops, and Piastri changed tyres connected thigh 18 pinch Russell concisely promoted to nan lead earlier his extremity 3 laps later.

But conscionable moments later, Bearman was successful nan wall and nan complexion of nan title changed successful a heartbeat.

Bearman mislaid power of his Haas arsenic he attempted an fierce walk connected Alpine’s Franco Colapinto for 15th astatine nan Spoon Curve connected nan 22nd lap.

He ended up connected nan writer connected nan left-hand broadside of nan circuit, crashing done aggregate polystyrene region boards and ending up successful nan barrier.

Bearman was assisted distant from his Haas by 2 marshals earlier he slumped to nan floor. He was past taken distant successful a car to nan on-track aesculapian centre for X-rays, which wished he had suffered a correct knee contusion.

Russell knew nan information car had costs him. “Unbelievable!”, he yelled complete nan radio. In came Antonelli, who had been moving a nett third, for his free alteration of tyres arsenic nan section was neutralised. And nan Italian emerged astatine nan caput of nan pack.

Russell was backmost connected nan radio: “Wow. F***! Our luck successful these past 2 races.” The comments referenced a mechanical problem successful qualifying astatine nan erstwhile information successful China.

His temper deteriorated further erstwhile Leclerc and Hamilton relegated him to 5th aft nan information car peeled successful connected thigh 27.

Russell did spot disconnected Hamilton connected thigh 43 and past thought he had cleared Leclerc astatine nan last chicane pinch 3 laps left, only for Leclerc to swoop backmost up connected nan main straight.

It would beryllium Antonelli’s day, while Piastri besides deserves in installments for a good drive, having grounded to moreover commencement nan first 2 races of nan season.