Berlin, 29 March 2026 (dpa/MIA) - Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli became the youngest-ever driver to top the Formula One standings after he overcame an awful start and the loss of five positions to win the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday.

The 19-year-old Italian benefited from a safety car to cruise to a second consecutive win and second overall of his career.

"I had a terrible start. I need to check what happened. Then I was lucky with the safety car to be in the lead but then the pace was incredible," he said.

Oscar Piastri of McLaren finished second, a refreshing result after he failed to even start the first two races in Australia and China. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari completed the podium in third.

Antonelli now tops the drivers' championship standings, nine points ahead of team-mate George Russell, who was fourth in the race.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton previously held the record for youngest driver to lead a championship, when he achieved the milestone in 2007 at 22 years old.

The race

Antonelli started from pole position but couldn't react quickly once the lights went out and dropped down to sixth, with Piastri taking the lead ahead of Leclerc and title holder Lando Norris.

Russell, who started in second, was also slow and dropped to fourth, but he had already retaken his position by lap four.

Antonelli, meanwhile, began a recovery race, reaching fourth by lap 11 and before the first and only round of pit stops.

The leading pack, including Russell, had already pitted for new tyres when the safety car was deployed on lap 22 after Oliver Bearman crashed his Haas into the wall.

Antonelli, who was leading the race at this point, was benefited by the situation, as his pit stop didn't cost his him position.

Once the safety car was called back in, the Italian had a great restart to open a comfortable gap, cruise to a second consecutive win and take the lead in the drivers' championship standings.

"I was lucky with the safety car, but it was unbelievable in the end," he said over the radio after crossing the finish line.

Piastri finished second to claim his first points of the season. He missed his home Australian GP after crashing into the wall during the reconnaissance laps and also failed to start the Chinese GP due to electrical power unit issues.

"A shame that we never got to see what would happened (without the safety car) but I think for us at this point to be disappointed about finishing second is a pretty good place to be," the McLaren driver said.

The rest of the top 10

Russell had to settle for fourth and missed the podium for the first time this season after the couldn't find a way past Leclerc in the final laps.

Norris was fifth in the other McLaren, followed by Hamilton in the Ferrari and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen continued to struggle this season and was eighth in the Red Bull. Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson and Esteban Ocon of Haas completed the top 10.

Haas said in a statement that Bearman experienced a 50G impact in his crash. He was taken to the medical centre for X-rays and sustained no fractures.

Photo: epa