George Russell delivered a commanding performance in the opening sessions of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, outpacing his title‑contending teammate Kimi Antonelli and solidifying Mercedes' early dominance at the Baku street circuit. After topping the first practice session, Russell returned for the second free‑practice and posted a lap that was roughly half a second quicker than any other driver, underscoring his pace on the demanding layout of the city’s streets.
The Italian rookie Antonelli, who currently trails Russell by 81 points in the battle for the 2026 Drivers' Championship, faced a challenging Thursday. A hydraulic leak forced his car to stop abruptly midway through the opening practice, cutting his time on track short. After an engine swap, Antonelli managed to get back on the circuit with just over half an hour remaining in the second session.
He fought his way up the order, ultimately recording a best lap that left him 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. "Overall, I think it was a solid recovery.
I feel 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, though he remained about 0.8 seconds off the pace set by the Mercedes pair. The rest of the field struggled to match the leading duo, with every other competitor more than a second slower. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and former champion Lewis Hamilton occupied the fourth and fifth spots respectively, while McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri filled the sixth and eighth positions.
Norris was candid about McLaren’s performance gap, describing it as "pretty pants" in the context of the front‑running times. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly managed seventh, followed by Red Bull’s returning driver Isack Hadjar in ninth and Haas driver Esteban Ocon in tenth. Ocon’s future with the team appears uncertain as Haas looks to reshuffle its driver lineup for the 2027 season. The only interruption to the 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.
Despite the brief stoppage, the session proceeded smoothly, allowing the drivers to extract maximum performance from their machines. Reflecting on his position in the championship, Russell acknowledged that, after falling more than three race wins behind Antonelli in Madrid, he does not see himself as a realistic title contender at this stage. Nevertheless, he emphasized that his form feels right for race victories, a milestone he has not achieved since the Austrian Grand Prix in June. His recent results in Baku are encouraging; he has stood on the podium in three of the last four races held in Azerbaijan, demonstrating a strong affinity for the circuit’s unique challenges.
Sky Sports F1 analyst Jacques Villeneuve praised Russell’s driving after the second practice, noting, "He’s driving very well. The key differences show up in the tight sections where precision is essential. Antonelli tends to have a bit more understeer, which costs him a fraction of a second in those corners.
It really looks like a close fight between the two Mercedes drivers." The weekend schedule is packed with supporting events. On Friday, September 25, the day begins with the Formula 2 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). Later, the F2 Feature Race 1 takes place at 11:10 am, leading into the build‑up to the Grand Prix qualifying at 12:30 pm. The official qualifying session kicks off at 1:00 pm, with post‑qualifying analysis slated for 3:00 pm in Ted’s Qualifying Notebook.
Saturday, September 26, continues the action with the second F2 Feature Race 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 and concludes with the chequered flag at 2:00 pm. A post‑race reaction segment follows at 3:00 pm, again hosted by Ted’s Notebook.
All of these sessions are also broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event. Fans can follow the live coverage on Sky Sports F1 throughout the weekend, with streaming available via NOW – a contract‑free service that can be cancelled at any time. The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to unfold with excitement, and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix promises another thrilling chapter in the championship battle.