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George Russell leads opening practice in Baku

News›Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026

George Russell leads opening practice in Baku

Pit Lane Daily EditorialThu 24 Sep · 09:09 UTCupdated Sat 26 Sep · 15:58 UTCHave your say

Image via F1i

The story so farNeutral summary generated from 3 sources

George Russell topped the timesheets in the first practice session for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. The session was marked by reliability issues for Andrea Antonelli.

Our take

George RUSSELL leads the Practice 1 at Baku

George RUSSELL takes the lead from Max VERSTAPPEN — live from Baku, Azerbaijan.

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2026 season · round 16 next — Bahrain Grand Prix in MalaysiaSeason overview →

Andrea Kimi Antonelli302 2

George Russell236 3

Lewis Hamilton199

Teams 1MMercedes538 2FFerrari378 3MMcLaren306

Results Azerbaijan Grand Prix 1

George Russell 2MVMax Verstappen 3

Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia

Sepang International CircuitRace Sun 07:00 UTC

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This season's grid · championship orderAll drivers →

Andrea Kimi AntonelliMercedes 2

George RussellMercedes 3

Lewis HamiltonFerrari 4

Lando NorrisMcLaren 5CLCharles LeclercFerrari

Team championship orderAll teams →

1MMercedes538 pts 2FFerrari378 pts 3MMcLaren306 pts 4RBRed Bull263 pts 5RTRB F1 Team83 pts 6ATAlpine F1 Team68 pts 7HTHaas F1 Team27 pts 8AAudi17 pts 9WWilliams12 pts 10AMAston Martin3 pts 11CTCadillac F1 Team0 pts

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First to reportGeorge RUSSELL leads the Practice 1 at BakuGeorge RUSSELL takes the lead from Max VERSTAPPEN — live from Baku, Azerbaijan.Pit Lane DailyThu 24 Sep · 09:09 UTC

Azerbaijan GP: Russell sets the pace in FP1 as Antonelli hits troubleGeorge Russell set the pace in a disrupted opening practice session for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while...

F1iThu 24 Sep · 09:47 UTCRead →

FP1: Russell tops opening Baku practice, Antonelli suffers reliability issuesGeorge Russell set the pace in the opening practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with the Mercedes driver finishing ahead of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc in a disrupted FP1 at the Baku City Circuit.

f1technical.netThu 24 Sep · 10:10 UTCRead →

This story

In this story

GRGeorge RussellFollow IgnoreCLCharles LeclercFollow IgnoreMVMax VerstappenFollow IgnoreCPCarlos PaceFollow IgnoreAAAndrea Kimi AntonelliFollow IgnoreMMercedesFollow IgnoreBCBaku City CircuitFollow Ignore

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Isack Hadjar team orders at Azerbaijan GP show Liam Lawson was right all along about Red BullAt the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Isack Hadjar and Max Verstappen secured Red Bull's first double podium in two and a half years. Hadjar demonstrated his commitment to team orders by allowing Verstappen to pass him early in the race, despite having a slight pace advantage. However, when Verstappen struggled to overtake Oscar Piastri, Hadjar's willingness to follow orders was put to the test as he later requested to race against his teammate. The race highlighted the dynamics within Red Bull, where Verstappen's dominance often limits his teammates' opportunities to compete on equal terms. Hadjar's performance and subsequent contract renewal suggest he is prepared to embrace a supportive role in exchange for driving a competitive car. This situation echoes Liam Lawson's earlier comments about the challenges faced by Verstappen's teammates, who must adapt to the team's structure that prioritises Verstappen's success.

f1oversteer.comSat 26 Sep

Esteban Ocon makes bullish statement after Baku P8: ‘I’m one of the best’ in F1Esteban Ocon finished eighth in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, contributing to a double-points finish for Haas. He confirmed his status as a 'free agent' amid speculation about being replaced by Rafael Camara, but his performance showcased his potential. After the race, Ocon expressed strong self-belief, stating he has consistently competed at a high level across various racing series. He highlighted his past successes in multiple championships and asserted, 'I'm one of the best out there,' indicating his readiness to prove his worth in Formula 1.

Motorsport WeekSat 26 Sep

Liam Lawson: “I don’t understand” why Arvid Lindblad escaped penalty after wrecking my floorLiam Lawson expressed his confusion over the Azerbaijan Grand Prix stewards' decision not to penalise his Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad after a collision that damaged Lawson's car. Lawson stated that he was hit hard enough to create a hole in his floor, questioning the reasoning behind the stewards' ruling that deemed the incident a result of restricted space and a chain reaction from a preceding crash. Despite the incident, Lindblad managed to recover and finish seventh, helping Racing Bulls secure valuable points in the constructors' championship. Lawson acknowledged the team's good fortune in scoring points while Alpine failed to do so, highlighting the competitive nature of the race and the challenges faced throughout the weekend.

Motorsport.comSat 26 Sep

'Mr Saturday' Russell 'comes through other side' after 'real tough period'George Russell achieved a significant victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, marking his first win since the end of June and his third of the 2026 season. This win comes after a challenging period for Russell, who has struggled to keep pace with his teammate Kimi Antonelli, who has dominated the season with eight victories. Russell's triumph has reduced the points gap between him and Antonelli to 66, providing a glimmer of hope as the season progresses. Throughout the race weekend, Russell demonstrated superior performance, being fastest in practice and maintaining his lead despite a late challenge from Max Verstappen. Antonelli faced difficulties, including a qualifying mistake that left him starting from 16th. Russell's win is seen as a turning point, showcasing his resilience and hard work in adapting to the new car. Mercedes is expected to introduce a significant upgrade in the upcoming Bahrain/Malaysia race, which could further impact the championship standings.

BBC SportSat 26 Sep

Russell warns Antonelli: 'Pressure is on you'George Russell achieved a commanding victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, marking the most dominant performance of his career. He won the race after starting from pole position and narrowly held off Max Verstappen, finishing just 0.1 seconds ahead. This win allowed Russell to reduce Kimi Antonelli's championship lead to 66 points, as Antonelli struggled to recover from a poor qualifying performance that left him starting in 16th place. Despite his fifth-place finish, Antonelli remains in control of the championship standings. He acknowledged that he drove conservatively during the race, aiming to secure points rather than take risks. Russell, on the other hand, expressed renewed confidence in his ability to compete for victories in the remaining races of the season, emphasizing his determination to win every race moving forward.

espn.comSat 26 Sep

6

MV

Max VerstappenRed Bull

Oscar PiastriMcLaren

Isack HadjarRed Bull

Liam LawsonRB F1 Team

Pierre GaslyAlpine F1 Team

11ALArvid LindbladRB F1 Team

Franco ColapintoAlpine F1 Team

Oliver BearmanHaas F1 Team

Gabriel BortoletoAudi

Nico HülkenbergAudi

Esteban OconHaas F1 Team

17CSCarlos SainzWilliams

Alexander AlbonWilliams

Fernando AlonsoAston Martin

Yuki TsunodaRB F1 Team

Lance StrollAston Martin

Valtteri BottasCadillac F1 Team

23SPSergio PérezCadillac F1 Team

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