Baku City CircuitSepang International CircuitBahrain International Circuit 
via F1iBaku Speed Trap: Who is the fastest of them all?In the Baku qualifying session, George Russell dominated, taking pole position with a significant margin of 0.837 seconds over Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. This performance highlighted the competitive gap in the 2026 season, as Russell's speed was notably faster than his rivals, with Esteban Ocon clocking the highest speed in the speed trap at 330.1 km/h.
The session was challenging for several drivers, including championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who struggled after crashing into the wall and qualifying 16th. The unique conditions of Baku, including potential safety cars and tricky wind patterns, are expected to play a crucial role in the race strategy, particularly regarding tire management and pit stops.
F1iSat 26 Sep · 08:42 UTC
via f1oversteer.comOscar Piastri admits what McLaren did to his car in Baku is ‘never a great sign’Oscar Piastri achieved his best qualifying result of the 2026 season by securing P3 for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, despite facing challenges throughout the weekend. He noted that McLaren had to use cable ties to hold his car together after experiencing issues with loose bargeboards, which he described as 'never a great sign.'
Piastri's performance improved significantly during qualifying after the team removed fuel from his car, allowing him to feel the full benefit of recent upgrades. However, reliability problems plagued McLaren during practice sessions, affecting both Piastri and teammate Lando Norris. Piastri aims to maintain his podium position in the race, although he acknowledges that George Russell and Mercedes are likely to be strong competitors.
f1oversteer.comSat 26 Sep · 08:00 UTC556
