Oscar Piastri delivered a composed drive from third on the grid to second place at the Japanese Grand Prix, earning praise from F1 TV analyst Alex Brundle. A safety car triggered by Oliver Bearman's crash altered the race, allowing Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli to pit cheaply and secure victory. McLaren showed improved form at Suzuka after a troubled start to the 2026 season.
Piastri, who failed to start the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix due to issues, seized the lead at the start after both Mercedes drivers had poor getaways. He pitted on lap 18 to cover George Russell and briefly led before a safety car around lap 21-22, following Bearman's heavy crash, changed the dynamics. Antonelli benefited from the timely stop, emerging ahead and pulling away to win by 13.7 seconds over Piastri, with Lando Norris sixth for McLaren after reliability woes. Andrea Stella, McLaren team principal, said, 'We were surprised ourselves, especially at the end of the first stint, where we not only were able to keep Russell behind, but we were also opening the gap.' He noted McLaren's power unit progress matched Ferrari's pace but trailed Mercedes and Ferrari aerodynamically, aided by Suzuka's repaved high-grip surface. Brundle lauded Piastri: 'He got off the line really well... really smart in traffic against a couple of faster cars - understanding the parameters of the circuit, making sure that he had the energy in the right place and then having the composure.' McLaren sits third in constructors' standings with 46 points, behind Mercedes (135) and Ferrari (90). Piastri is sixth in drivers' with 21 points, Norris fifth with 25.
