George Russell claimed the fastest lap in the opening practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, edging out the field despite championship leader Kimi Antonelli being forced to stop on track because of a hydraulic failure. The Mercedes driver’s performance comes at a crucial moment: he trails Antonelli by 81 points in the Drivers' Championship and must begin narrowing the gap to keep his title hopes alive. Starting the weekend with a strong showing in Baku could be the catalyst he needs. Russell’s best time was achieved with a substantial slipstream from Fernando Alonso, allowing him to beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and both Ferraris by roughly four tenths of a second.
Even before that assisted lap, Russell demonstrated impressive pace throughout the session, signalling that the Mercedes package still possesses outright speed on the demanding street circuit. Antonelli, on the other hand, lost around 35 minutes of valuable track time after his car suffered a hydraulic issue that forced him to pull off the racing line. The setback means the Italian will head into the second practice session on Thursday afternoon at a disadvantage, needing to recover lost data and confidence.
While Antonelli has secured victories in the two most recent races, Baku’s narrow, high‑speed layout is notorious for producing unexpected drama, and his comfortable 81‑point lead over Russell – as well as a 100‑plus point cushion over Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris – could be eroded quickly if reliability problems persist. "Regarding Kimi’s performance, the first practice session is the least indicative of true form, which is a relief for him," said Sky Sports F1 analyst Jamie Chadwick. "The bigger issue is the cause of the hydraulic failure.
We’ve heard reliability concerns being discussed for Mercedes earlier in the weekend, but the team seemed to have sorted most of those problems in recent races. This new glitch could become the focal point of their campaign moving forward." Hamilton and Charles Leclerc posted their quickest laps on the medium‑compound tyres, positioning themselves as potential front‑runners for qualifying on Friday and the race on Saturday. Red Bull, meanwhile, introduced several new aerodynamic components for Baku, including an updated floor, revised side‑pods and fresh mirror designs. Verstappen looked particularly quick on the hard tyres early in the session, suggesting the team’s upgrades are already paying dividends.
If the slipstream benefit Russell received from Alonso is removed, the timing indicates that Red Bull will be right there with Mercedes and Ferrari in the battle for pole position. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were placed sixth and fourteenth respectively, more than a second off Russell’s best time despite having introduced their own aerodynamic upgrades. Those changes are expected to shine on high‑speed, non‑street circuits, giving McLaren ample opportunity to improve over the remaining practice sessions. At one stage Piastri feared he had sustained damage to his car, but the team reported no visible issues.
Norris, still yet to reveal his full pace, will be looking to extract more performance as the weekend progresses. Red Bull’s young talent Isack Hadjar, confirmed to stay with the team through 2027, returned to the garage for the first time since July after missing three race weekends with a wrist injury.
Unfortunately, he also lost about 30 minutes of running due to an engine problem, limiting his ability to contribute to the team’s data pool. Liam Lawson, back in the Red Bull junior line‑up, launched from seventh on the grid with teammate Arvid Lindblad in eighth.
Their presence adds depth to the field and could influence the midfield scramble. Esteban Ocon, whose future at Haas looks uncertain as the team is expected to release him for the 2027 season, managed ninth place, while Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto rounded out the top ten in tenth position.
Williams driver Carlos Sainz experienced a minor brake fire early in the session, but the incident cost him little running time, especially as the team has introduced a significant upgrade package aimed at boosting performance. The weekend schedule is packed: Thursday sees the second practice session at 1 pm, followed by the F1 Show at 2:15 pm. Friday includes the sprint race, the third practice session, and qualifying later in the day.
Saturday will host the main Grand Prix, with live coverage on Sky Sports F1 and streaming via NOW, offering a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime option for viewers. Overall, the first practice highlighted both the potential and the pitfalls for the leading teams. Russell’s pace shows Mercedes can still challenge at the front, while Antonelli’s hydraulic issue underscores the ever‑present reliability concerns that can reshape a championship battle in an instant. As the drivers head into the next practice and qualifying, the focus will shift to extracting maximum performance from new parts, managing tyre strategies, and, for the midfield, seizing any opportunity to climb the order on Baku’s unforgiving streets.
The stage is set for a thrilling qualifying session and a race that could dramatically alter the points landscape in the 2026 Formula 1 season.