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 pull off the track due to a hydraulic failure. The British racer, who currently trails Antonelli by 81 points in the Drivers' Championship, must begin to close the gap to his teammate quickly if he hopes to keep the title fight alive and avoid an early end to his championship hopes. His strong showing in Baku could be a vital step toward that goal.
Russell's best time was heavily aided by a powerful slipstream from fellow Mercedes driver Fernando Alonso, allowing him to carve out a lap that was roughly four-tenths of a second quicker than Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and the two Ferraris. Even before that assisted run, Russell demonstrated impressive single‑lap pace throughout the session, hinting that the Mercedes package still possesses the raw speed needed to challenge for podiums on the street circuit. Antonelli, meanwhile, lost a staggering 35 minutes of track time when his car suffered a hydraulic malfunction that forced him to stop on the racing line.
The incident will leave the Italian on the back foot as the teams head into the second practice period scheduled for Thursday at 13:00, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. Antonelli has been dominant in the season so far, winning the previous two rounds, but Baku is notoriously demanding and often produces unexpected drama.
With an 81‑point lead over Russell and a margin of more than 100 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris, the Italian is keenly aware that a single reliability issue could dramatically erode his advantage. "Regarding Kimi’s performance, FP1 is generally the least indicative of true race pace, so in that sense it’s a relief," said Sky Sports F1 analyst Jamie Chadwick. "The bigger story is the cause of the problem.
We’ve heard reliability concerns being raised about Mercedes earlier in the weekend; they seemed to have sorted most of those issues over the last few races, but this will now become the focal point for the team." Hamilton and Charles Leclerc each set their personal best times on the medium‑compound tyres, positioning themselves as potential front‑row contenders for Friday’s qualifying and as serious threats for the race win on Saturday afternoon. Red Bull, on the other hand, arrived in Baku with a suite of new aerodynamic components, including a revised floor, updated side‑pods and fresh mirror designs.
Verstappen displayed notable speed on the hard tyres early in the session, suggesting that the upgrades are beginning to pay off. If one removes the advantage Russell gained from Alonso’s slipstream, the picture that emerges is a fairly even battle at the front of the grid, with Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari all capable of posting competitive times. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were positioned sixth and fourteenth respectively, more than a second off Russell’s best lap despite having received aerodynamic upgrades aimed at improving high‑speed performance. The team’s development work is largely focused on components that excel on fast, flowing circuits rather than tight street layouts, meaning they still have plenty of time to refine their package over the remaining practice sessions.
At one stage Piastri believed his car had sustained damage, but the engineers found nothing visible and cleared him to continue. Norris, meanwhile, has yet to reveal his full speed potential, leaving the McLaren camp hopeful that the next practice runs will unlock faster laps.
Red Bull’s rookie Isack Hadjar, who has already signed a contract extension through 2027, returned to the track for the first time since July after missing the previous three race weekends due to a wrist injury. Unfortunately, his comeback was hampered by an engine issue that cost him roughly 30 minutes of running time. This setback paved the way for Liam Lawson to step back into the Racing Bulls seat, where he launched from the start line in seventh place, with teammate Arvid Lindblad close behind in eighth. Esteban Ocon, whose future with Haas looks uncertain as the team is expected to release him before the 2027 season, managed to finish ninth in the session.
Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto, competing for the team’s first foray into Formula 1, recorded the tenth‑fastest time. Williams driver Carlos Sainz experienced a minor brake fire early in the practice, but the incident caused only a brief interruption and did not significantly affect his overall track time.
The team has introduced a substantial upgrade package for the weekend, which could prove decisive later in the race weekend. The schedule for the remainder of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend is packed with action. 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.
Practice two for the Grand Prix starts at 1:00 pm, and the F1 Show airs at 2:15 pm. Friday, September 25, sees the F2 sprint at 5:10 am, the third practice session for the Grand Prix at 9:30 am, the F2 Feature Race 1 at 11:10 am, and a build‑up to the main qualifying at 12:30 pm. The qualifying itself kicks off at 1:00 pm, with the post‑qualifying analysis, "Ted’s Qualifying Notebook," scheduled for 3:00 pm.
Saturday, September 26, features the second F2 Feature Race at 7:55 am, followed by the Grand Prix build‑up at 10:30 am. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix proper starts at noon, with the chequered flag expected around 2:00 pm, and a post‑race reaction segment at 3:00 pm.
All of these sessions are also streamed live on Sky Sports Main Event. Overall, the Baku weekend promises a blend of high‑speed thrills and technical challenges.
Russell’s early pace demonstrates that Mercedes remains a contender, while Antonelli’s hydraulic problem underscores the ever‑present risk of reliability issues that can swing a championship. Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports F1, with the option to stream via NOW without a long‑term contract, allowing cancellation at any time. The race, set for Saturday midday, will be a pivotal chapter in the 2026 Formula 1 season as drivers and teams vie for crucial points on one of the calendar’s most demanding circuits.