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Kimi Antonelli has emerged as the overwhelming favourite to win the Japanese Grand Prix from pole, according to a RacingNews365 poll, with fans backing the 19-year-old Mercedes driver to etch his name into the record books.

The Italian sensation received 1,677 votes in the poll, comfortably ahead of teammate George Russell in second with 696 who joins him on the front row.

Oscar Piastri starts in third and garnered 403 votes, while Lewis Hamilton who qualified in sixth collected 309 for Ferrari.

Despite a shocking qualifying putting him 11th on the grid, four-time champion Max Verstappen received just 221 votes, with reigning champion Lando Norris a distant afterthought on 60 even though he starts in fifth.

Should Antonelli convert his pole position into victory at Suzuka, he would become the first driver in Formula 1 history to win multiple races as a teenager.

Verstappen won just one grand prix before his 20th birthday, the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, leaving the door open for Antonelli to claim a unique slice of history.

The Mercedes driver has made a blistering start to his debut campaign, finishing second in Australia before claiming his maiden victory in China.

His pole lap at Suzuka on Saturday, a 1m 28.778s, underlined his credentials as he beat Russell by nearly three-tenths of a second.

Check out the full poll results below!

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