George Russell delivered a commanding performance in the opening sessions of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, outpacing his title‑leading teammate Kimi Antonelli and reinforcing Mercedes' early dominance at the street circuit in Baku. After topping the first practice session, Russell continued his momentum in the second free‑practice, posting a lap that was roughly half a second quicker than Antonelli's best time.
This margin is significant on a circuit known for its tight corners, long straights, and the infamous narrow castle section that tests a car's balance and a driver’s precision. Antonelli, who currently enjoys an 81‑point lead over Russell in the 2026 Drivers' Championship, faced an unusually disrupted Thursday. A hydraulic leak forced his car to stop mid‑run during the opening practice, costing him valuable track time.
After a rapid engine swap, the Italian returned to the track with just over half an hour left in the session. Despite the limited window, he managed to climb back up the order, ultimately finishing second, only 0.552 seconds behind Russell.
"We lost quite a few laps in FP1 and missing half of FP2 is never ideal, especially on a street circuit," Antonelli explained, acknowledging the challenge of recovering lost data on a circuit where every millisecond counts. "Overall, I feel like it was a good recovery. I feel quite good in the car.
A few things to work on but looking forward to tomorrow." Max Verstappen, driving an upgraded Red Bull, secured third place, but he remained a full 0.8 seconds off the Mercedes pace. The gap underscored the advantage Mercedes currently enjoys on this particular layout, even as Red Bull continues to develop its package throughout the season. The rest of the field trailed by more than a second, with the Ferraris and McLarens struggling to match the leading duo.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton occupied fourth and fifth respectively, while McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took sixth and eighth. Norris candidly described McLaren’s deficit as "pretty pants," highlighting the frustration teams feel when they cannot close the performance gap on a fast‑changing street track. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly managed seventh, and returning Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar claimed ninth after a solid run.
Haas driver Esteban Ocon, whose future with the team appears uncertain beyond 2026, rounded out the top ten. A single red flag was deployed when Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad crashed in the narrow castle sector, briefly halting the session but causing no major disruption to the overall rhythm of the day.
Russell, who had previously fallen more than three wins behind Antonelli after the Madrid round, admitted that he does not see himself as a realistic championship contender at this stage. Nonetheless, he emphasized that his form feels reminiscent of his race‑winning days, a sentiment he has not expressed since his victory at the Austrian Grand Prix in June. His recent podium streak in Baku—three podiums in the last four years—suggests that the British driver has found a rhythm that could translate into future wins if the car continues to improve. Sky Sports F1 analyst Jacques Villeneuve praised Russell after the second practice, noting, "He's driving well.
Where he makes the difference is in all the narrow bits where the car needs to be precise. Antonelli drives with more understeer, so he pays a bit of a price there.
It seems like a straight fight between the two Mercedes teammates." Looking ahead, the weekend schedule is packed. On Friday, September 25, the F2 Sprint will kick off at 5:10 am, followed by the third practice session for the Azerbaijan GP at 9:15 am (with the official start at 9:30 am).
The F2 Feature Race 1 is slated for 11:10 am, and qualifying for the Grand Prix will begin at 1:00 pm, with the official qualifying session starting shortly thereafter. Saturday, September 26, sees the second F2 Feature Race at 7:55 am, while the Grand Prix itself will run on Sunday, with the race start at 12:00 pm, the chequered flag expected around 2:00 pm, and post‑race analysis following.
All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and streamed via NOW, offering a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime option for viewers. The Baku street circuit remains one of the most demanding venues on the calendar, combining long high‑speed sections with tight, technical corners that punish even the smallest errors.
Drivers must balance outright speed on the straightaways with meticulous car control through the narrow sections, especially the castle complex where a slight misjudgment can end a session, as demonstrated by Lindblad's crash. For Mercedes, the challenge is to maintain the delicate setup that gave Russell his advantage while ensuring Antonelli can extract similar performance without excessive understeer. As the weekend unfolds, the championship narrative will continue to evolve.
While Antonelli's lead appears comfortable, the performance gap between the two Mercedes drivers could tighten if Antonelli resolves his hydraulic issue and regains full confidence in the car. Meanwhile, Red Bull will be eager to close the half‑second deficit that left Verstappen in third, and Ferrari will look to capitalize on any mistakes from the leading pack to climb back into contention. In summary, the practice sessions have set the stage for an intriguing race weekend in Azerbaijan. Russell's dominant lap times, Antonelli's resilient recovery, and Verstappen's solid third‑place effort illustrate a competitive field where precision, car setup, and driver adaptability will dictate the final outcome.
Fans can anticipate a high‑stakes showdown on Sunday, with the potential for strategic surprises, overtaking opportunities, and perhaps a reshuffling of the championship hierarchy as the season progresses.