George Russell delivered a commanding performance during the second practice session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, outpacing his title‑leading teammate Kimi Antonelli and reinforcing Mercedes' early dominance this weekend. After topping the first practice earlier in the day, Russell returned to the Baku street circuit and set the fastest lap, carving out a half‑second advantage over Antonelli on the demanding, twisty layout.
The Italian rookie, who currently trails Russell by 81 points in the 2026 Drivers' Championship battle, faced a challenging Thursday. A hydraulic leak forced his car to stop midway through the opening practice, cutting his time on track short. After an engine swap, Antonelli managed to re‑enter the action with just over half an hour left in the second session. He quickly climbed the rankings, ultimately posting the second‑quickest time, a respectable 0.552 seconds shy of Russell's benchmark.
"We lost quite a few laps in FP1 and missing half of FP2 is never ideal, especially on a street circuit," Antonelli admitted after the 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." Max Verstappen, driving an upgraded Red Bull, secured third place, but still remained 0.8 seconds behind the Mercedes duo, underscoring the gap to the front of the field. The rest of the grid trailed by more than a second, with the Ferraris and McLarens struggling to match the pace. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton occupied fourth and fifth respectively, while McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri filled the sixth and eighth slots.
Norris bluntly described the team's deficit to the leading Mercedes as "pretty pants," highlighting the frustration of being unable to close the gap. Pierre Gasly placed seventh for Alpine, followed by Red Bull's returning Isack Hadjar in ninth and Haas driver Esteban Ocon in tenth. Ocon's future with Haas looks uncertain, as the team is expected to reshuffle its driver line‑up for the 2027 season.
The session was briefly halted when Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad crashed in the narrow castle section of the Baku circuit, prompting the only red flag of the day. Despite the interruption, the drivers managed to extract valuable data from the limited running time. Russell reflected on his position in the championship after falling further behind Antonelli in Madrid, where he was more than three wins adrift.
He acknowledged that, while he is the closest challenger to his teammate in the points, a realistic title shot remains out of reach at this stage. Nevertheless, Russell expressed confidence in his form, noting that he has not won a race since the Austrian Grand Prix in June. He emphasized that his strong showing in Baku, where he has stood on the podium three times in the past four years, signals a positive momentum shift. "He's driving well," Sky Sports F1 analyst Jacques Villeneuve commented after the session.
"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). Later, the F2 Feature Race 1 kicks off at 11:10 am, and the qualifying build‑up for the Grand Prix starts at 12:30 pm, leading into the official qualifying session at 1:00 pm.
The day concludes with Ted's Qualifying Notebook at 3:00 pm, providing expert analysis. Saturday, September 26, continues the excitement with the F2 Feature Race 2 at 7:55 am, followed by the Grand Prix build‑up at 10:30 am. The main event, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, begins at noon, with the chequered flag and post‑race reaction scheduled for 2:00 pm. Ted's Notebook returns at 3:00 pm for a comprehensive wrap‑up.
All these events are also broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event. The 2026 Formula 1 season remains live on Sky Sports F1 throughout the week, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix forming the centerpiece of a triple‑header of races.
Viewers can stream the coverage via NOW, enjoying a contract‑free experience that can be cancelled at any time. This approach ensures fans have flexible access to the high‑octane action unfolding on the streets of Baku.