In the final practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Max Verstappen managed to edge out George Russell, preventing the Mercedes driver from achieving a perfect set of fastest laps. Red Bull’s lead driver showed a marked improvement on the soft tyre compound, ultimately posting a lap time of 1:43.922 that placed him at the top of the session’s timing sheets, just ahead of Russell, who finished a close second, 0.099 seconds slower. The Baku street circuit proved to be a formidable opponent on this particular day.
As the session progressed, gusty winds began to sweep across the narrow, wall‑lined track, making it difficult for drivers to maintain a clean line. The unpredictable breeze caused several competitors to lose grip and run off the racing line, with a number of them briefly touching the barriers before rejoining the session.
One of the more dramatic incidents involved Russell himself, who clipped the wall at Turn Seven after a momentary loss of control, yet managed to recover sufficiently to secure the runner‑up spot. Mercedes had entered the day in strong form, having dominated the calmer Thursday practice.
However, the changing weather conditions seemed to favour Red Bull’s setup, allowing Verstappen to extract more performance from his car as the session wore on. His final lap was aided by a powerful tow from a group of cars on the long pit straight, a factor that also benefitted Lewis Hamilton later in the hour.
Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, posted a time that placed him third overall, a mere 0.111 seconds behind Verstappen’s best effort. Like Verstappen, Hamilton’s lap was boosted by the aerodynamic benefit of a slipstream, highlighting how critical the wind and drafting will be in the upcoming qualifying.
The importance of these variables cannot be overstated. Both the gusting conditions and the strategic use of the slipstream are expected to play decisive roles when drivers line up for the qualifying session at 1 p.m., which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event. Sky Sports F1 analyst David Croft commented on the situation, noting that the weather promises “an absolutely fascinating and dramatic qualifying,” while also acknowledging the difficulty the drivers will face under such challenging circumstances.
Further down the order, Kimi Antonelli, who currently leads Russell in the championship by 81 points, recorded the fourth‑fastest time. He was followed closely by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who occupied the fifth spot.
Both drivers experienced brief off‑track excursions, underscoring how even the front‑runners were vulnerable to the fickle Baku winds. Pierre Gasly, fresh from his maiden pole position at the high‑speed Monza circuit three weeks earlier, demonstrated that his Alpine could still compete at the front. He posted a sixth‑fastest lap, outpacing the McLaren duo despite the team’s recent aerodynamic upgrades. Lando Norris, who had already signalled after Thursday’s runs that the reigning world champions were unlikely to challenge for pole, confirmed that assessment with a time that left the McLarens roughly 0.8 seconds off the leading pace.
Oscar Piastri slotted into seventh place, just ahead of Norris, while Red Bull’s newcomer Isack Hadjar, still returning from a wrist injury that kept him out for three races, managed to place eighth. Franco Colapinto’s second Alpine car was tenth, narrowly beating Carlos Sainz, who was driving a heavily revised Williams that showed promising signs of improvement during Friday’s morning sessions. Lance Stroll’s day was cut short after he clipped the inside wall at Turn One and was forced to stop in the runoff area, completing only nine laps. His incident was a reminder of how unforgiving the Baku circuit can be, especially when the wind adds an extra layer of complexity to the already narrow racing line.
The schedule for the weekend is packed with action. On Friday, the F2 Feature Race 1 will kick off at 11:10 a.m., followed by the build‑up to the Azerbaijan GP qualifying at 12:30 p.m., and then the qualifying session itself at 1 p.m. A post‑qualifying analysis, dubbed “Ted’s Qualifying Notebook,” will air at 3 p.m.
Saturday’s agenda includes the second F2 Feature Race at 7:55 a.m., a pre‑race build‑up at 10:30 a.m., the Grand Prix start at noon, and a post‑race reaction segment at 2 p.m., with another edition of Ted’s Notebook scheduled for 3 p.m. All of this will be available live on Sky Sports Main Event, with the option to stream via NOW without a long‑term contract, allowing viewers to cancel at any time. The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to deliver a thrilling mix of high‑speed drama and strategic nuance, and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is set to be a highlight, especially given the challenging wind conditions that are likely to shape the qualifying results and, ultimately, the race itself.