Max Verstappen thwarted George Russell's attempt to dominate the final practice session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, reaffirming Red Bull's renewed challenge to Mercedes as the teams prepared for Friday's qualifying. The session was marked by increasingly gusty winds that swept across Baku's street circuit, turning the already demanding layout into a true test of car control.
The stronger breezes caused several drivers to lose grip and run off the track, with a number of incidents recorded over the hour-long window. Mercedes had appeared to retain its Thursday advantage when the weather was calmer, but the soft‑compound tyres began to reveal their potential as the session progressed. Verstappen, who had been gradually closing the gap to the leading times, finally posted a best lap of 1:43.922, nudging ahead of Russell and taking the top spot on the timing sheets. Russell, who had clipped the barriers at the tricky Turn Seven after a brief straight‑line excursion, ended the session just 0.099 seconds slower, securing second place.
Further down the order, Ferrari struggled to match the leading pace for most of the hour. Nevertheless, Lewis Hamilton managed to climb into third place with a final‑lap effort that left him only 0.111 seconds behind Verstappen. Hamilton’s improvement was aided by a powerful tow from a line of cars on Baku's long pit straight, which boosted his straight‑line speed at the crucial moment. Both the aerodynamic tow and the variable wind conditions are expected to play decisive roles in the upcoming qualifying session, which is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.
and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event. "The weather has given us the prospect of an absolutely fascinating and dramatic qualifying," remarked David Croft of Sky Sports F1. "These are not easy conditions out there by any stretch of the imagination." Kimi Antonelli, who currently leads Russell by 81 championship points, posted the fourth‑quickest time, edging out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who occupied fifth.
Both drivers experienced brief off‑track moments during the session, underscoring how the wind and the tight street walls were affecting even the most experienced pilots. Three weeks after his stunning pole‑winning lap at the high‑speed Monza circuit, Pierre Gasly demonstrated Alpine's progress by delivering a sixth‑fastest lap, outpacing the McLaren duo. Despite McLaren introducing a substantial aerodynamic upgrade for the Baku weekend, Lando Norris had already dismissed the reigning world champions as serious pole contenders after Thursday's runs, a sentiment that was reinforced by the current session’s times, which left the McLarens roughly 0.8 seconds off the leading pace. Oscar Piastri posted the seventh‑quickest time, followed closely by Norris, while Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar, returning from a three‑race layoff due to a wrist injury, found himself further down the order as he worked to regain full speed.
Franco Colapinto recorded the tenth‑fastest lap in the second Alpine, just ahead of Carlos Sainz, who is piloting a heavily revised Williams chassis. The updated car showed promising performance on Friday morning, suggesting that Williams could become more competitive in the tightly contested upper‑midfield battle. Lance Stroll’s session was cut short after he clipped the inside wall at Turn One, limiting him to just nine laps before he was forced to stop in the run‑off area. The weekend schedule continues with a packed program of support races and qualifying sessions.
On Friday, the F2 Feature Race 1 will kick off at 11:10 a.m., followed by the Azerbaijan GP qualifying build‑up at 12:30 p.m., and the main qualifying session at 1:00 p.m. Additional coverage, including Ted’s Qualifying Notebook, will be available at 3:00 p.m. Saturday features the second F2 Feature Race at 7:55 a.m., the Grand Prix build‑up at 10:30 a.m., the race itself at noon, and post‑race analysis throughout the afternoon.
All action will be streamed live on Sky Sports F1, with the option to watch via NOW without a long‑term contract, allowing viewers to cancel at any time. The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to deliver high‑octane excitement, and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix promises to be a pivotal moment in the championship battle, especially given the unpredictable weather and the strategic importance of qualifying position on the narrow Baku street circuit.