George Russell emerged as the quickest driver in the opening practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, posting the fastest lap as the championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, was forced to stop on track due to a hydraulic failure. Russell, who currently trails Antonelli by 81 points in the Drivers' Championship, must start narrowing that gap quickly if he hopes to keep his title hopes alive, and his strong showing in Baku suggests he is ready to do just that.
The Mercedes pilot benefited from a substantial slipstream generated by Fernando Alonso on his best lap, allowing him to edge out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and both Ferraris by roughly four-tenths of a second. Even before that decisive lap, Russell had demonstrated impressive pace throughout the session, hinting at the potential speed of the Mercedes package on the demanding Baku street circuit. Antonelli’s day was dramatically interrupted when a hydraulic issue forced his car to come to a halt, costing him around 35 minutes of valuable track time. The setback means the Italian will have to fight back in the second practice session scheduled for Thursday at 13:00, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
Despite winning the previous two races, Antonelli knows that Baku is one of the most unforgiving venues on the calendar, often producing unexpected drama. He is therefore cautious about how quickly his 81‑point cushion over Russell, and his more than 100‑point lead over Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris, could evaporate. "In terms of Kimi's session, FP1 is the least representative session, so that's a blessing," said 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 set their quickest times on the medium‑compound tyres, indicating they will be aiming to fight for pole position in Friday’s qualifying and, ultimately, the race win on Saturday afternoon. Red Bull arrived in Baku with a suite of new aerodynamic components, including a revised floor, updated sidepods and fresh mirrors. Verstappen appeared very quick on the hard tyres early in the session, suggesting the team’s development work is paying off. If you strip away the advantage Russell gained from Alonso’s slipstream on his fastest lap, the picture shows a genuine three‑way battle at the front of the grid between Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari.
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. Those upgrades are expected to be more beneficial on circuits with long straights rather than the tight, twisty layout of Baku, giving McLaren ample time to refine their package over the remaining practice sessions.
At one point, Piastri feared he had sustained damage to his car, but the team reported no visible issues. Norris, meanwhile, has yet to reveal his true speed, leaving his weekend performance still to be determined.
Red Bull’s young prospect Isack Hadjar, who has secured a contract to stay with the team through 2027, returned to action for the first time since July after missing three race weekends with a wrist injury. Unfortunately, he also lost roughly 30 minutes of running due to an engine problem, limiting his ability to gather data.
This development opened the door for Liam Lawson to re‑join the Racing Bulls line‑up, where he launched from the blocks 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 after the season, managed to qualify ninth.
Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto secured the tenth spot, rounding out the top ten. Williams’ Carlos Sainz experienced a minor brake fire early in the session, but the incident cost him little track time. The team has introduced a significant upgrade package for the weekend, which could prove decisive as the race approaches. The schedule for the remainder of the weekend is packed.
On Thursday, September 24, the day begins with the F2 Qualifying at 10:55 am, followed by the Team Bosses’ Press Conference at 12:00 pm, and the second practice session for the Azerbaijan GP 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 GP at 9:15 am (running from 9:30 am), the F2 Feature Race at 11:10 am, and the build‑up to the GP Qualifying at 12:30 pm. Qualifying itself kicks off at 1:00 pm, with Ted’s Qualifying Notebook following at 3:00 pm.
Saturday, September 26, includes the second F2 Feature Race at 7:55 am, the Grand Prix build‑up at 10:30 am, and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix race itself at 12:00 pm. The chequered flag and post‑race reaction will be shown at 2:00 pm, with Ted’s Notebook concluding the coverage at 3:00 pm. All events are also available live on Sky Sports Main Event. The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 this week, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix forming the centerpiece of a triple‑header weekend.
Fans can stream the action via NOW, with no long‑term contract required and the freedom to cancel at any time. The combination of high‑speed straights, tight corners and the ever‑present potential for mechanical gremlins makes Baku a true test of driver skill and team reliability, promising an exciting showdown for the championship leaders and challengers alike.