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 (FP1) earlier in the day, Russell continued his momentum into the second practice (FP2), 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 and long straights, underscoring Russell's pace and confidence on the demanding layout. Antonelli, who currently enjoys an 81‑point lead over Russell in the 2026 Drivers' Championship, faced a disrupted Thursday. A hydraulic leak forced his car to stop mid‑session during FP1, costing him valuable track time.
After an engine swap, he managed to return to the track with just over half an hour remaining in FP2. Despite the limited window, he quickly climbed the timesheet, eventually finishing second, just 0.552 seconds shy of Russell.
"We lost quite a few laps in FP1 and missing half of FP2 is never ideal, especially on a street circuit," Antonelli admitted, noting the challenges of making up lost time on a venue where precision is paramount. He added, "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 secured third place, demonstrating the potential of his upgraded Red Bull package, though he remained about 0.8 seconds off the pace set by the Mercedes duo.
The rest of the field trailed by more than a second, with the Ferraris and McLarens unable to close the gap. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton occupied fourth and fifth respectively, while McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took sixth and eighth.
Norris humorously described McLaren's deficit to the leading Mercedes as "pretty pants," reflecting the team's frustration at the pace differential. Pierre Gasly placed seventh for Alpine, and the returning Isack Hadjar was ninth in a Red Bull, while Esteban Ocon, whose Haas contract is expected to end after 2026, rounded out the top ten.
A solitary red flag was triggered when Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad crashed in the narrow castle section of the Baku circuit, temporarily halting the session. Russell, who fell more than three wins behind Antonelli in Madrid, candidly acknowledged that he is not in a realistic championship battle at this stage, despite being the closest challenger to his teammate in the points tally. Nevertheless, he expressed optimism about his form, recalling his last victory at the Austrian Grand Prix in June and noting that Baku has been a fruitful venue for him, with three podium finishes in the past four years. "He's driving well," Sky Sports F1 analyst Jacques Villeneuve observed after FP2, adding that the key differentiator lies in the narrow sections where the car must be razor‑sharp.
"Antonelli tends to have a bit more understeer, which costs him a fraction of a second in those tight corners. It looks like a straight fight between the two Mercedes drivers." 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 follows at 11:10 am, then a build‑up to the Grand Prix qualifying 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, all of which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event.
Saturday, September 26, continues the frenzy with the second F2 Feature Race at 7:55 am, a pre‑race build‑up at 10:30 am, and the main event—the Azerbaijan Grand Prix—kicking off at noon. The race will run until the chequered flag at approximately 2:00 pm, after which reactions and analysis will be aired at 3:00 pm, again featuring Ted's Notebook.
Viewers can stream the coverage via Sky Sports with NOW, enjoying a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime option. In summary, Russell's swift lap times and consistent performance have set a high bar for the rest of the field, while Antonelli's resilience after technical setbacks demonstrates his championship credentials. The upcoming qualifying and race will determine whether Russell can convert his speed into a podium finish and further close the gap to his teammate, or if Antonelli will maintain his commanding lead in the drivers' standings as the 2026 season progresses.