Kimi Antonelli continued his impressive start to the 2026 season by setting the pace in final practice at Suzuka, narrowly beating Mercedes teammate George Russell in a session that underlined the Silver Arrows’ dominance heading into qualifying.
With all teams focused on final preparations, FP3 provided a crucial glimpse into the competitive order and once again, Mercedes looked like the team to beat.
Mercedes Set the Benchmark
Antonelli delivered a strong lap late in the session to go fastest, leading a Mercedes one-two ahead of Russell. The gap between the pair remained tight, reinforcing just how closely matched the teammates are both on pace and confidence.
The Italian’s performance follows his recent breakthrough victory earlier in the season and further strengthens his growing reputation as one of the standout drivers of the new era. Meanwhile, Russell remained firmly in contention, ensuring Mercedes enters qualifying with two genuine pole contenders.
The team’s consistency across all three practice sessions suggests their package is well suited to Suzuka’s high-speed demands.
Ferrari and McLaren Chase the Pace
Behind the dominant Mercedes duo, Charles Leclerc emerged as Ferrari’s leading driver in third, although the gap to the front remained significant. Ferrari continues to search for answers as they attempt to close the performance deficit to Mercedes.
Oscar Piastri showed encouraging pace for McLaren, finishing just behind Leclerc, while teammate Lando Norris endured a more disrupted session. Limited running impacted Norris’ ability to put together a representative lap, leaving him further down the order than expected.
Mixed Fortunes Across the Grid
Elsewhere, the session highlighted a mixed picture for several teams. Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top five but continued to report balance concerns with his Ferrari, suggesting there is still work to be done ahead of qualifying.
Further down the order, Max Verstappen was unable to challenge the front-runners and finished outside the leading group, underlining Red Bull’s ongoing struggle to match Mercedes’ early-season form. There were also encouraging signs from the midfield, with several teams showing improved pace as they refined setups ahead of the all-important qualifying session.
All Eyes on Qualifying
With Mercedes locking out the top two positions in FP3, the momentum heading into qualifying is firmly with Antonelli and Russell. However, as seen throughout the weekend, the margins remain fine, and with track evolution expected, challengers like Ferrari and McLaren will be hoping to close the gap when it matters most.
If FP3 is any indication, qualifying at Suzuka is shaping up to be a direct intra-team battle at Mercedes, with the fight for pole likely to come down to Antonelli versus Russell.
Featured Image Credit: Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team