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. After topping the first practice session, Russell extended his advantage in the second free‑practice, posting a lap that was roughly half a second quicker around Baku's demanding street circuit.
This solidified his position at the front of the timesheets and demonstrated the Mercedes car’s pace on the tight, high‑speed layout. Antonelli, who currently leads Russell by 81 points in the battle for the 2026 Drivers' Championship, faced a challenging Thursday. A hydraulic leak forced his car to stop mid‑session during the opening practice, cutting his running time dramatically.
After an engine swap, he returned to the track with just over half an hour remaining in the session. Despite the limited time, he managed to climb back into 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 explained, adding that he felt the recovery was positive and that he was comfortable in the car, though there were still areas to improve before race day. Max Verstappen secured third place in the upgraded Red Bull, though he remained nearly 0.8 seconds off the pace of the Mercedes duo. The rest of the field trailed by more than a second, with the Ferraris and McLarens unable to match the leading times. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton occupied fourth and fifth respectively, while McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished sixth and eighth.
Norris was blunt about his team's performance, describing the gap to the front as "pretty pants." Further down the order, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly claimed seventh, Red Bull’s returning Isack Hadjar took ninth, and Haas driver Esteban Ocon—whose seat is rumored to be up for grabs for 2027—rounded out the top ten. The only red flag of the day was triggered by Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad, who crashed in the narrow castle section of the Baku circuit, halting the session temporarily. Reflecting on his recent form, Russell acknowledged that after falling three race wins behind Antonelli in Madrid, he does not see himself as a realistic championship contender at this stage, even though he remains the closest challenger to his teammate in the points tally. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence in his ability to win races again, noting that his last victory came at the Austrian Grand Prix in June.
The Baku weekend marks a positive start to his pursuit, as he has secured a podium finish in three of the last four races held in Azerbaijan. Sky Sports F1 analyst Jacques Villeneuve praised Russell’s performance after the second practice, stating, "He's driving well. Where he makes the difference is in all the narrow sections where the car needs to be precise. Antonelli tends to exhibit a bit more understeer, which costs him a little time.
It looks like a straight fight between the two Mercedes drivers." The schedule for the remainder of the weekend is packed. 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 is slated for 11:10 am, with the Grand Prix qualifying build‑up at 12:30 pm and the qualifying session itself at 1:00 pm. Later, at 3:00 pm, Ted’s Qualifying Notebook will provide analysis.
Saturday, September 26, kicks off 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 noon, followed by the chequered flag ceremony and post‑race reaction at 2:00 pm.
At 3:00 pm, Ted’s Notebook will once again offer insights. All events will also be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event. The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix forming the centerpiece of a triple‑header weekend.
Viewers can stream the coverage via NOW, enjoying a contract‑free experience with the option to cancel at any time.