George Russell delivered the most statistically complete weekend of his Formula 1 career at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but does that performance prove the British driver has finally recaptured his peak form? In Baku, Russell executed a flawless race that earned him the first Grand Slam of his F1 tenure: he captured pole position, led the race from start to finish, and posted the fastest lap.
The triumph trimmed his championship deficit to teammate Kimi Antonelli down to 66 points with eight races left, keeping the title battle alive as the season heads into its decisive phase. Whether Russell can sustain a genuine challenge for the remainder of the campaign remains to be seen, yet the widening gap between him and Antonelli over recent months has sparked doubts about the 28‑year‑old’s ability to ever clinch a championship while paired with the Italian.
Antonelli’s Baku weekend was hampered by technical gremlins that cost him valuable practice time, and a crash in qualifying relegated him to 16th on the grid. That was the first occasion since the opening round that Russell had such a clear advantage over his teammate. Russell has spoken candidly about his frustration at falling behind Antonelli, attributing much of the disparity to the new 2026‑spec cars and the steep learning curve they present. He felt his dominant display in Baku was a clear sign that the tide had turned.
"I think it's probably my first Grand Slam in Formula 1 and, for sure, the most dominant weekend I've had in my career, so that has come at a really great moment," he said. "To achieve it on a circuit that demands such commitment and confidence makes me proud, because it would have been easy to lose faith this season – not just about the championship, but about my own abilities. That never happened." He also praised the resilience of his engineering team, noting how hard work and adaptation have helped him mould his driving style to the new machinery.
"F1 is unforgiving; you don’t get many chances to practice, and finally it’s clicking for me more intuitively than before. I’m gaining confidence," Russell added. The win was even more impressive because Russell had to defend against Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the final laps, after two safety‑car periods erased a sizable lead. He crossed the finish line just 0.1 seconds ahead of Verstappen, marking the narrowest margin of victory in an F1 race since 2002.
Sky Sports F1 pundit Jamie Chadwick, a three‑time W Series champion, interpreted the performance as evidence that Russell has elevated his level. "He's definitely stepped up," she said. "The points gap is still large, but the championship remains exciting – something we maybe didn’t expect heading into this weekend.
It gives us something to look forward to." Former driver and analyst Karun Chandhok also highlighted the significance of Russell’s composure under pressure. "That last stint, George had Verstappen piling on the pressure. In some ways that’s more satisfying for George.
It’s one thing to lead by ten seconds and cruise, but winning under pressure gives you far more satisfaction," Chandhok explained. If Russell truly is back to his best, the timing could not be better.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix kicked off a grueling stretch of six races in seven weeks. Next up is the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, followed by a triple‑header that includes the Singapore Grand Prix.
The calendar then moves to the United States, Mexico and Brazil for back‑to‑back events. Complicating matters, Russell will need to serve a grid‑penalty later in the season for an engine change, a setback that will make his title chase even tougher. Nonetheless, simply matching Antonelli’s pace for the rest of the year would provide a massive psychological lift heading into the 2027 season.
In recent months, Russell has rarely exuded confidence, but his comments after Baku suggest his mojo has returned. "There’s much less pressure on me than there is on him," he observed.
"He’s had an incredibly flawless season. Yesterday was probably his first mistake in a proper session – qualifying, race – and he still finished P5 today." He admitted that for several races he didn’t see himself in the championship fight because his performances weren’t strong enough. "Now I feel that if the season had started today, or after the summer break, I could have been in contention.
The deficit can change quickly. I’m not chasing it; I’m chasing race wins, and whatever happens, will happen," Russell concluded.
Formula 1 returns to Malaysia for the first time since 2017 as it stages the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit. Live coverage begins on Friday morning via Sky Sports F1, and fans can stream the action through NOW – with no contract and the option to cancel at any time.