The 2026 Japanese Grand Prix offered a mixed bag. For one, Suzuka Circuit—a favorite among drivers—exposed why this year’s technical regulations have been disappointing.

On the other hand, it showed stellar performances from the race winner, the podium finishers, and those in the points.

Here are the talking points we’ve picked.

1. With your first Grand Prix win comes confidence. Fresh from his first win, Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) followed that up with another pole and his second win.

And some performance it was. He may have gotten lucky with the timing of the safety car, “but the pace was incredible,” he said on the radio. He finished almost 14 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri (McLaren).

George Russell (Mercedes) probably didn’t wake up thinking his young Italian teammate would be a championship contender. Now, he probably can’t sleep.

With back-to-back wins, Antonelli becomes the youngest-ever championship leader.

2. “Turns out when we start these things, we’re pretty good.” Piastri was referring to his season finally getting started, after two DNS races in Melbourne and Shanghai.

And not a bad start—leading and bagging second place. To think it was his first time to race his 2026 car.

It was the best result, we think. Antonelli was just too fast.

3. Another series of tussles between Leclerc and Russell. The fight for third was another highlight, with Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) getting the better of the Mercedes driver, with a gutsy overtake on the outside of Turn 1 with just two laps to go. First candidate for the Overtake of the Year?

4. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) kept Max Verstappen (Red Bull) behind. At the end of last season, Gasly’s final radio message was that he “didn’t want to see the A525 ever again.” Last year was a disastrous one for the French squad.

This season is different. Over the first three races, the Frenchman has shown competitiveness and been in the points.

And his battle for seventh was entertaining, with no other than the four-time champion right behind. The Red Bull would’ve easily lapped Gasly last year.

Now, if Alpine can find just a bit more performance to break into the top five.

5. F1 in 2026—not liking it at all. Granted, the regulations are the same for everybody, and there are drivers who’ve adapted better than most to suit these regs—Antonelli, Piastri, Leclerc, Gasly—and teams who’ve gotten it right—particularly Mercedes—we’re being robbed of real racing. Suzuka, probably the best track on the calendar, exposed that.

Cars going through the esses looked slow (a high-speed, technical section). Multiple overtaking moves at the chicane after 130R, only for the car that overtook to be passed right back on the straight. The drivers know that.

Harnessing is dictating the racing. There has to be a rethink.