Antonelli Tops Russell Again in Suzuka FP3, Setting Stage for Qualifying Duel

Kimi Antonelli continued his impressive form by outpacing Mercedes teammate George Russell in the final practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix, solidifying his status as a favorite for pole position. Mercedes reasserted its dominance at Suzuka, with Antonelli's benchmark time putting him over a quarter of a second clear of Russell and leaving the rest of the field, including struggling rivals McLaren and Red Bull, more than a second adrift.

Why it matters:

The session confirms Antonelli's momentum following his maiden win in China and sets up a compelling intra-team battle for qualifying supremacy at a critical point in the young season. Mercedes' staggering pace advantage also raises questions about the competitive order behind them, with Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull all appearing significantly off the Silver Arrows' ultimate pace.

The details:

• Antonelli's best time of 1:29.362 was 0.254 seconds faster than George Russell's, marking another strong performance from the 19-year-old.
• Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was the best of the rest, but finished a distant 0.867 seconds behind Antonelli, highlighting Mercedes' clear edge.
• McLaren faced a mixed session. Oscar Piastri, who topped Friday's times, slipped to fourth, while Lando Norris's weekend was compromised by another ERS battery pack change on his car.
  • Norris has now used his third energy store in three race weekends; one more will trigger an automatic grid penalty.
• Red Bull's struggles with the RB22 continued, with Max Verstappen finishing a massive 1.5 seconds off the pace in eighth and complaining about gear shifts over team radio.
• The Audi team impressed, with Nico Hulkenberg finishing seventh, ahead of Verstappen and the lead Alpine of Pierre Gasly.

What's next:

All eyes turn to qualifying, where Antonelli will aim to convert his practice speed into a second consecutive pole position. The main intrigue lies in whether any team can close the gap to Mercedes and challenge the expected front-row lockout. For Lando Norris and McLaren, managing his limited pool of power unit components to avoid a penalty will be a critical subplot for the rest of the weekend.