George Russell emerged as the quickest driver in the opening practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, posting the fastest lap despite the dramatic interruption suffered by championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who was forced to stop on track after a hydraulic failure. Russell’s performance gave Mercedes a promising start to the weekend, but the broader picture remains complex as the title fight continues to unfold. At the time of the session, Russell trailed Antonelli by a substantial 81 points in the Drivers' Championship. That gap means the British driver must begin to close the distance quickly if he hopes to keep his championship hopes alive and prevent an early conclusion to the season.
His early pace in Baku suggests he may be able to do just that. The Mercedes driver benefited from a powerful slipstream behind 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, Russell had already demonstrated impressive speed, consistently running near the top of the timing sheets throughout the hour-long session. Antonelli’s day was far less fortunate.
A hydraulic issue forced his car to come to a halt, costing him around 35 minutes of valuable track time. The loss of that running not only hampered his immediate practice program but also left him at a disadvantage heading into the second practice session scheduled for Thursday at 13:00 GMT, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. The Italian driver has won the last two races, yet Baku is notorious for its demanding layout and the propensity for unexpected incidents. With an 81‑point lead over Russell and a margin of more than 100 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris, Antonelli is aware that any technical gremlin could quickly erode his advantage.
"In terms of Kimi's session, FP1 is the least representative session, so that's a blessing," commented Sky Sports F1 analyst Jamie Chadwick. She added, "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." While Chadwick’s remarks focused on Mercedes, the underlying theme applies equally to Antonelli’s team, whose reliability will be under intense scrutiny as the weekend progresses.
Other front‑runners also posted strong times. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc each set their quickest laps on the medium‑compound tyres, indicating they will be keen to fight for pole position in Friday's qualifying and, ultimately, the race win on Saturday afternoon. Red Bull, meanwhile, introduced several new components for the Baku circuit, including a revised floor, updated sidepods, and redesigned mirrors. Verstappen appeared particularly quick on the hard tyre early in the session, suggesting the Austrian may have a solid chance of challenging the Mercedes‑Ferrari duopoly.
When the slipstream advantage that helped Russell achieve his best lap is removed, the data shows Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari are all within striking distance of each other at the front of the field. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, despite having received aerodynamic upgrades, were positioned sixth and fourteenth respectively, more than a second off Russell’s pace. Their upgrades are primarily focused on high‑speed, low‑downforce circuits, which means the Baku street layout may not yet fully showcase the benefits.
The team still has two practice sessions to fine‑tune their package. Piastri at one point believed his car had sustained damage, but the engineers found nothing visible. Norris, on the other hand, has yet to reveal his true speed, leaving McLaren hopeful that further adjustments could unlock additional performance before qualifying.
Red Bull’s reserve driver Isack Hadjar, confirmed to stay with the team through 2027, returned to action for the first time since July after missing three consecutive race weekends due to a wrist injury. Unfortunately, he also lost around 30 minutes of running because of an engine problem, limiting his ability to contribute data for the team. Liam Lawson, who has been promoted to the Racing Bulls lineup, made a strong start, launching from seventh on the grid with teammate Arvid Lindblad close behind in eighth. Their early positions indicate the new parts package may be delivering the expected gains.
Esteban Ocon, whose future with Haas looks uncertain as the team is expected to release him after the season, managed to finish ninth in the session, while Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto secured tenth. Williams driver Carlos Sainz experienced a minor brake fire early on, but the incident caused only a brief loss of track time, especially significant given that Williams has introduced a comprehensive upgrade package for this weekend. The schedule for the remainder of the Grand Prix weekend is packed with action.
On Thursday, September 24, the day begins with the F2 qualifying session at 10:55, followed by the team bosses' press conference at 12:00, and the second practice session for the Azerbaijan GP at 13:00. The F1 Show airs at 14:15.
Friday, September 25, features the F2 sprint at 05:10, the third practice session for the GP at 09:15 (starting at 09:30), the F2 feature race at 11:10, and the build‑up to the main qualifying at 12:30, with the qualifying itself kicking off at 13:00. A special segment, Ted's Qualifying Notebook, follows at 15:00.
Saturday, September 26, includes the second F2 feature race at 07:55, the Grand Prix build‑up at 10:30, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix start at 12:00, the chequered flag ceremony at 14:00, and a post‑race analysis in Ted's Notebook at 15:00. All events are also streamed live on Sky Sports Main Event. Overall, the first practice session highlighted both the potential and the challenges that lie ahead for the competitors in Baku. Russell’s quick lap demonstrates Mercedes’ ability to fight at the front, while Antonelli’s hydraulic issue serves as a reminder that reliability remains a critical factor in a championship campaign.
As the teams continue to refine their setups and address any technical concerns, fans can expect an intense qualifying session and a thrilling race on Saturday, where the narrow streets of Baku will test driver skill, car performance, and strategic acumen to the limit.