George Russell emerged as the quickest driver in the opening practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, posting the fastest lap despite the fact that championship leader Kimi Antonelli was forced to halt his run after encountering a hydraulic failure on the street circuit. Russell, who currently trails Antonelli by 81 points in the Drivers' Championship, needs to start narrowing the gap to his teammate quickly if he hopes to keep his title hopes alive, and his performance in Baku suggests he is beginning to do just that.
The Mercedes driver benefited from a substantial slipstream provided by fellow competitor Fernando Alonso on his best lap, which allowed him to edge out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen as well as both Ferraris by roughly four-tenths of a second. Even before that final flying lap, Russell had already demonstrated impressive pace throughout the session, consistently running in the upper echelons of the timing sheets. Antonelli’s day, on the other hand, was marred by a 35‑minute loss of track time when a hydraulic issue forced him to pull off the circuit. The problem not only curtailed his practice programme but also left him at a disadvantage heading into the second practice session scheduled for Thursday at 13:00, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
The Italian driver has been dominant in recent weeks, winning the previous two Grands Prix, but Baku is notoriously demanding, with its tight corners, long straights and a reputation for producing unexpected drama. As a result, Antonelli is understandably cautious about how his 81‑point lead over Russell—and his more than 100‑point advantage over Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris—might be eroded if reliability continues to be an issue. "In terms of Kimi's session, FP1 is the least representative session, so that's a blessing," remarked Sky Sports F1 analyst Jamie Chadwick. "The bigger concern is why they had the issue.
We knew reliability was a big talking point for Mercedes earlier in the session; it seems to have been in a much better place the last few races especially, but that's going to be the biggest concern." Hamilton and Charles Leclerc each set their quickest times on the medium‑compound tyres, indicating that they will be aiming to fight for pole position in Friday's qualifying and to contend for the race win on Saturday afternoon. Red Bull, meanwhile, have introduced several new components for the Baku weekend, including an updated floor, revised side‑pod geometry and redesigned mirrors. Verstappen appeared particularly quick on the hard tyres early in the session, suggesting that the team’s aerodynamic upgrades are already paying dividends.
If the slipstream advantage that helped Russell achieve his best lap is removed, the timing sheets reveal a fairly tight battle at the front of the grid, with Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari all within striking distance of each other. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were positioned sixth and fourteenth respectively, more than a second off Russell’s pace despite having received aerodynamic upgrades aimed at improving high‑speed performance.
The British duo’s development work is primarily focused on aerodynamic refinements that are expected to be more effective on faster, less technical circuits, meaning they still have ample time to extract performance in the remaining practice sessions. At one stage, Piastri suspected that his car had suffered damage, but the team’s engineers reported that nothing abnormal was visible.
Norris, meanwhile, has yet to unleash his true speed, a situation that may change as the team continues to fine‑tune the car’s setup. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar, who has already secured a contract extension through the 2027 season, returned to the track for the first time since July after missing the previous three race weekends due to a wrist injury. Unfortunately, he also lost about 30 minutes of running because of an engine problem, further limiting his data collection.
This development paved the way for Liam Lawson to step back into the Red Bull junior team, where he launched from the start line in seventh place, with teammate Arvid Lindblad slotting in eighth. Esteban Ocon, whose future with Haas looks uncertain as the team is expected to release him after the season, managed to qualify ninth, while Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto secured tenth. Williams’ Carlos Sainz experienced a minor brake fire early in the session, but the incident cost him little track time, and the team has introduced a substantial upgrade package that could prove pivotal in the remaining practice runs. The weekend’s schedule is packed with supporting events.
On Thursday, September 24, the day begins at 10:55 am with the F2 qualifying session, followed by the Team Bosses’ press conference at noon and the start of the second Azerbaijan GP practice at 1:00 pm. The F1 Show airs at 2:15 pm. Friday, September 25, features the F2 sprint at 5:10 am, the third practice session for the Grand Prix at 9:30 am, the F2 feature race at 11:10 am, and the build‑up to the main qualifying session at 12:30 pm, with the actual qualifying taking place at 1:00 pm.
The day concludes with Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 3:00 pm. Saturday, September 26, includes the second F2 feature race at 7:55 am, a build‑up to the Grand Prix at 10:30 am, and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix itself at noon, followed by the chequered flag ceremony at 2:00 pm and Ted’s post‑race notebook at 3:00 pm.
All of these events are also streamed live on Sky Sports Main Event. The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 throughout the week, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix acting as the centerpiece of a triple‑header of races. The Baku race is slated for Saturday midday, and viewers can stream the coverage via NOW, which offers a contract‑free subscription that can be cancelled at any time. The combination of high‑speed straights, technical sections, and the ever‑present risk of mechanical gremlins makes the Azerbaijan Grand Prix a crucial test for all teams, especially those like Mercedes and Red Bull who are vying for the championship lead.
Russell’s strong showing in practice underscores his determination to close the points gap, while Antonelli’s hydraulic issue serves as a reminder that reliability will remain a decisive factor as the season progresses.