George Russell delivered a commanding performance in the opening sessions of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, outpacing his title‑leading teammate Kimi Antonelli and setting the tone for a promising weekend in Baku. After topping the first practice period, Russell returned for the second free‑practice session and improved his lap time by half a second, cementing his position at the top of the timing sheets on the demanding street circuit.
The Mercedes driver’s pace was particularly impressive given the challenges faced by Antonelli. The Italian rookie, who currently trails Russell by 81 points in the 2026 Drivers' Championship hunt, suffered a hydraulic leak that forced his car to stop midway through the opening session. The issue forced an early exit from the first practice, costing him valuable track time. After a rapid engine change, Antonelli was able to re‑enter the track with just over half an hour left in the second session.
Despite the limited window, he managed to climb back up to second place, finishing 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 admitted after his run. "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." His comments highlighted both the frustration of the early setback and his optimism about the car’s handling after the quick repairs. Max Verstappen, driving an upgraded Red Bull, secured third place, ending a solid opening day but still trailing the leading Mercedes duo by roughly 0.8 seconds. The rest of the field was more than a second off the pace, with the Ferraris and McLarens grouped together further down the order.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton occupied fourth and fifth respectively, while McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took sixth and eighth. Norris was candid about his team's performance, describing McLaren’s gap to the front‑runners as "pretty pants," a colloquial way of saying the deficit was unacceptably large.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly claimed seventh, followed by Red Bull’s returning driver Isack Hadjar in ninth and Haas’s Esteban Ocon in tenth. Ocon’s future with Haas appears uncertain, with speculation that his seat may be reassigned for the 2027 season. The session was briefly interrupted when Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad crashed in the narrow castle section of the Baku circuit, prompting the only red flag of the day.
The incident underscored the unforgiving nature of the street layout, where even a minor mistake can end a lap abruptly. Reflecting on his recent form, Russell acknowledged that he is not currently a realistic contender for the championship, having fallen more than three race wins behind Antonelli after their previous encounter in Madrid. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence in his ability to win races again, a feat he has not achieved since the Austrian Grand Prix in June.
His recent podium finishes in three of the last four Baku races suggest that he has found a rhythm on this circuit. Jacques Villeneuve of Sky Sports F1 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." The weekend schedule is packed with action. On Friday, September 25, the day begins with the F2 Sprint at 5:10 am, followed by the third practice session for the Azerbaijan GP at 9:15 am (the session itself starts at 9:30 am).
The F2 Feature Race 1 runs at 11:10 am, leading into the qualifying build‑up at 12:30 pm. The official qualifying session kicks off at 1:00 pm, with further analysis from Ted's Qualifying Notebook at 3:00 pm. Saturday, September 26, continues the excitement with the F2 Feature Race 2 at 7:55 am, then the Grand Prix build‑up at 10:30 am. The main event, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, starts at 12:00 pm, followed by the chequered flag ceremony and post‑race reaction at 2:00 pm.
Ted's Notebook provides additional commentary at 3:00 pm. All events are also broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event. Fans can watch the race live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through NOW without a long‑term contract and the flexibility to cancel at any time. The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to deliver high‑octane drama, and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix promises another thrilling chapter in the championship battle.