Max Verstappen thwarted George Russell’s attempt to claim an unchallenged series of fastest laps during the final practice at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, reigniting Red Bull’s challenge to the Mercedes pair ahead of Friday’s qualifying. The session was marked by increasingly gusty winds that swept across Baku’s street circuit, turning the already demanding track into a slippery, unpredictable arena where many drivers lost grip and briefly left the racing line. On Thursday, when the weather was calmer, Mercedes had appeared to dominate the early stages of the weekend. That advantage seemed to hold into the opening minutes of the final practice, but as the wind picked up Verstappen began to extract more and more performance from his soft‑compound tyres.
By the end of the hour he had posted a blistering lap of 1:43.922, nudging Russell out of the top spot. Russell’s own best effort came just 0.099 seconds slower, earning him second place despite a close call at Turn Seven where he clipped the barriers after running straight on. Ferrari, which had trailed the front‑runners for much of the session, managed to climb back into contention when Lewis Hamilton produced a late‑session surge.
On his final lap Hamilton recorded a time only 0.111 seconds shy of Verstappen’s benchmark, securing third place on the board. His rapid lap was aided by a powerful tow from a line of cars on Baku’s long pit straight, a factor that amplified his straight‑line speed and highlighted the importance of aerodynamic drafting in these conditions. Both the wind and the tow will be crucial variables in the upcoming qualifying, set to begin at 13:00 GMT and 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 session," commented David Croft of Sky Sports F1.
"These are not easy conditions by any stretch of the imagination." Kimi Antonelli, who currently leads Russell by 81 points in the drivers’ championship, posted the fourth‑fastest time, edging out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who occupied fifth. Both drivers experienced brief off‑track excursions, underscoring how treacherous the windy circuit has become. Three weeks after his spectacular pole at the high‑speed Monza circuit, Pierre Gasly demonstrated Alpine’s progress by posting the sixth‑quickest lap, outpacing the McLaren pair. McLaren entered the weekend with a substantial aerodynamic upgrade, yet Lando Norris had already signalled on Thursday that the reigning champions were unlikely to fight for pole.
His assessment proved correct as the team’s best times fell roughly 0.8 seconds off the leading pace. Oscar Piastri managed seventh, with Norris close behind, while Red Bull’s newcomer Isack Hadjar, returning from a three‑race hiatus due to a wrist injury, found himself in ninth as he worked to regain full confidence. Franco Colapinto, driving the second Alpine, secured tenth place, just ahead of Carlos Sainz in a heavily revised Williams that showed promising signs of improvement on Friday morning.
The Williams team appears to be targeting a climb into the congested upper‑midfield battle as the season progresses. Lance Stroll’s session was cut short after only nine laps when he clipped the inside wall at Turn One, forcing him into the runoff area and ending his run prematurely. The weekend’s schedule continues with a packed lineup of support races and qualifying sessions. On Friday, the day will feature the F2 Feature Race 1 at 11:10, a build‑up to the Azerbaijan GP Qualifying at 12:30, followed by the main qualifying session at 13:00, and later a special "Ted’s Qualifying Notebook" at 15:00.
Saturday’s agenda includes the second F2 Feature Race at 07:55, a pre‑race build‑up at 10:30, the Grand Prix itself at 12:00, the chequered‑flag ceremony and post‑race reaction at 14:00, and another edition of Ted’s Notebook at 15:00. All events will also be streamed live on Sky Sports Main Event. For fans who wish to follow the action online, Sky Sports recommends using the Chrome browser for optimal video playback.
The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to deliver high‑octane excitement, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix serving as the centerpiece of a triple‑header weekend. The race will take place on Saturday at midday, and viewers can stream the coverage via NOW, which offers a contract‑free subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
Overall, the final practice session highlighted how quickly conditions can shift on a street circuit like Baku, where wind gusts, aerodynamic tow, and driver precision intertwine to shape the competitive landscape. Verstappen’s ability to adapt and find speed on the soft tyres, coupled with Russell’s near‑miss at Turn Seven, sets the stage for a thrilling qualifying showdown. The performance of the midfield teams—Ferrari, Alpine, McLaren, Williams, and Aston Martin—suggests a tightly contested battle for the remaining grid positions, while the weather promises to keep the drivers on their toes. As the teams fine‑tune their setups for the race, the next day’s qualifying will likely determine whether Red Bull can capitalize on Verstappen’s momentum or if Mercedes can reclaim its early‑week advantage.
The anticipation builds as fans await the start‑grid order that will dictate the strategies for the high‑speed, high‑stakes race through the streets of Baku.