George Russell delivered a commanding performance in the opening sessions of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, outpacing his title‑leading teammate Kimi Antonelli and cementing Mercedes' early dominance at the Baku street circuit. After topping the first practice session earlier in the day, Russell continued his momentum into the second free‑practice, posting a lap that was roughly half a second quicker than the nearest challenger.
This sizable margin underscored his comfort on the demanding, twisty layout of the city’s streets, which demand both precision and bravery from drivers. Antonelli, who currently holds an 81‑point lead over Russell in the 2026 Drivers' Championship hunt, faced a disrupted Thursday.
A hydraulic leak forced his car to stop abruptly midway through the opening session, cutting his track time short. After a lengthy repair and an engine swap, the young Italian was only able to return to the circuit with just over thirty minutes remaining in the second practice window.
Despite the limited running, Antonelli managed to climb back up the order, ultimately setting the second‑fastest time, just 0.552 seconds behind Russell. "We lost a lot of laps in FP1 and missing half of FP2 is never ideal, especially on a street circuit," Antonelli admitted after the session.
"Overall, I think it was a solid recovery. I feel pretty good in the car, there are a few things to improve, but I’m looking forward to tomorrow." Max Verstappen, driving an upgraded Red Bull, secured third place in the session, but he remained a full 0.8 seconds off the Mercedes duo’s pace. 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 finished sixth and eighth. Norris humorously described McLaren’s deficit to the leading Mercedes as "pretty pants," highlighting the challenge the team faces in matching the pace of the front‑runners.
Pierre Gasly placed seventh for Alpine, and Red Bull’s returning driver Isack Hadjar was ninth, with Haas driver Esteban Ocon rounding out the top ten. Ocon’s future with Haas looks uncertain as the team appears set to reshuffle its driver lineup for the 2027 season. The only interruption to the weekend’s schedule came when Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad crashed in the narrow castle section of the Baku circuit, prompting the sole red flag of the day. The incident reminded everyone of the unforgiving nature of street tracks, where even a slight misjudgment can end a session prematurely.
Reflecting on his recent performances, Russell noted that after falling more than three wins behind Antonelli in the previous race in Madrid, he recognizes that a realistic championship challenge is currently out of reach. Nevertheless, he emphasized that his form feels strong enough to contend for race victories again – a feat he has not achieved since his win at the Austrian Grand Prix in June. The Baku weekend marks a promising start to that pursuit, especially given his history of podium finishes at this venue over the past four years.
Jacques Villeneuve of Sky Sports F1 praised Russell’s driving after the second practice, stating, "He’s driving well. The real difference comes in the tighter sections where the car must be razor‑sharp. Antonelli tends to exhibit a bit more understeer, which costs him a little time in those corners. It looks like a straight fight between the two Mercedes teammates." The schedule for the remainder of the race 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 officially starts at 9:30 am). Later, the F2 Feature Race 1 takes place at 11:10 am, and the Grand Prix qualifying build‑up kicks off 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. Saturday, September 26, continues the action 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, starts at noon, with the chequered flag and post‑race reaction slated for 2:00 pm. Ted’s Notebook will wrap up the day at 3:00 pm. All events will also be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event. Fans can stream the coverage via Sky Sports with NOW, offering a contract‑free option that can be cancelled at any time.
The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to deliver thrilling competition, and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix promises to be a highlight as the championship battle intensifies across the remaining races.