Andrea Kimi Antonelli leads the 2026 F1 championship after winning the Japanese Grand Prix, becoming the youngest points leader at 19 years, 6 months and 25 days. Mercedes head the constructors from Ferrari and McLaren, while Max Verstappen finished eighth and Isack Hadjar failed to score.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli has taken the lead of the 2026 Formula 1 world championship following his victory at the Japanese Grand Prix, becoming the youngest driver ever to head the standings. The Mercedes driver moved clear after teammate George Russell finished fourth in Japan.
At 19 years, 6 months and 25 days, Antonelli is the first teenager to lead the F1 championship. He surpasses Lewis Hamilton’s previous benchmark of 22 years, five months and six days set after the 2007 Spanish Grand Prix, and is the first Italian to top the table since Giancarlo Fisichella following the 2005 Australian Grand Prix.
According to the updated standings, Antonelli holds 97 points, with Russell second on 75. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is third on 64, while teammate Lewis Hamilton sits fourth with 49.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris remain in contention on 39 and 35 points, respectively. Pierre Gasly has 21 for Alpine, and Haas’s Oliver Bearman is on 17.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is on 16 points after finishing eighth in Japan, while teammate Isack Hadjar did not score and remains on 4. Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad are on 12 and 4 points, respectively.
Further back, Gabriel Bortoleto and Carlos Sainz have 2 points apiece, with Esteban Ocon also on 2 and Franco Colapinto on 1. Nico Hülkenberg, Alexander Albon, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Pérez, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have yet to register points.
Mercedes also strengthened its advantage in the constructors’ championship. The team leads on 172 points ahead of Ferrari on 113, with McLaren third on 74.
Alpine are listed on 22 points and Haas on 19, while Red Bull sit on 20 after a challenging weekend. Racing Bulls have 16, and both Audi and Williams are on 2, with Cadillac and Aston Martin still seeking their first scores of the campaign.
The Japanese Grand Prix result underscores Mercedes’ early momentum, McLaren’s recovery from a slow start, and Red Bull’s current struggle after Verstappen’s P8 and Hadjar’s non-score. With the season still in its opening phase, the competitive order remains fluid.
What to watch next: whether Antonelli can consolidate his historic lead, if Ferrari can apply sustained pressure, and how quickly Red Bull can regroup. The next round will offer another snapshot of momentum across both championships.
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*Originally published on [newsformula.one](https://newsformula.one/article/2026-f1-standings-after-japan-antonelli-leads-mercedes-on-top).*