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via Motorsport WeekCharles Leclerc pins hopes on crucial Ferrari trait to challenge in BakuCharles Leclerc is optimistic about Ferrari's race pace as he prepares for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, having secured a surprising second place on the grid despite the team's struggles in free practice. He noted that while the car felt better during qualifying, the significant gap to George Russell remains a concern, particularly regarding straight-line speed and tyre management.
Leclerc highlighted the unpredictability of the car this weekend, which has hindered his ability to take risks on the tight Baku circuit. He remains hopeful that the SF-26 will show its strengths during the race, as it often performs better than in qualifying. Leclerc is determined to give his best effort to challenge for victory against Russell.
via gpfans.comLewis Hamilton and Ferrari in turmoil after Mercedes humiliation at Azerbaijan Grand PrixLewis Hamilton and Ferrari faced a disappointing qualifying session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with Hamilton finishing sixth and over 1.3 seconds behind pole position. Despite upgrades to the car, Ferrari's performance fell short, leaving Hamilton feeling dejected and questioning the team's strategy.
The struggles of Ferrari continue as they have not won a drivers' championship since 2007, highlighting ongoing issues within the team. Hamilton's hopes of competing for the title have diminished significantly, and the team appears to be in turmoil as they grapple with their performance and strategy.
via racer.comPiastri's third in Baku signals McLaren's progressOscar Piastri secured third place in qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, indicating positive development for McLaren's performance. Team principal Andrea Stella noted that Piastri is adapting well to the MCL40, despite Lando Norris facing challenges during the session.
via F1iPiastri ‘surprised’ by Baku P3 qualifying paceOscar Piastri qualified third for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, surprising himself with the pace after a subdued practice session for McLaren. Piastri briefly held second place during qualifying, while Lando Norris finished fifth after a costly lock-up on his final attempt. George Russell took pole position, with Charles Leclerc just ahead of Piastri by a narrow margin.
Piastri remarked on McLaren's tendency to find extra performance during qualifying, contrasting with their practice struggles. Norris, while pleased with his driving, pointed out underlying car issues that limited his performance. Both drivers are now looking to convert their qualifying positions into a strong race performance, despite uncertainties about their race pace.
via Formula1.comGasly buoyed by Alpine gains after Baku double Q3 appearancePierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto both advanced to the final qualifying stage for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with Gasly securing a P7 start and Colapinto P10. Gasly expressed optimism about Alpine's performance, noting he could have achieved a better time without interruptions from yellow flags, while Colapinto admitted to struggling with pace and execution in Q3.
Gasly highlighted the team's progress and his comfort with the car's balance, indicating a strong potential for scoring points in the race. Despite Colapinto's challenges, he remains hopeful for improvement and is determined to fight for a better result in the race. Alpine is currently in a competitive battle to be the 'best of the rest' against Racing Bulls.
via RaceFansVerstappen calls Baku qualifying a disaster after issuesMax Verstappen described his qualifying session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as a 'disaster' after experiencing an engine problem that hindered his performance. The Red Bull driver will start from eighth on the grid, expressing disappointment with the team's qualifying issues.
via RacingNews365Oscar Piastri concedes defeat to George RussellOscar Piastri admitted that McLaren had no chance of outpacing George Russell during qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Despite securing third on the grid, Piastri noted he was comfortably behind Russell's pace.
via RacingNews365Kimi Antonelli criticises himself after Baku qualifying crashKimi Antonelli expressed frustration over his qualifying crash at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, labelling it a 'very stupid' mistake that left him starting 16th on the grid. The championship leader acknowledged the need to improve his performance following the unforced error in Q1.
via f1oversteer.comGeorge Russell takes pole position in BakuGeorge Russell secured pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a remarkable lap time, finishing 0.837 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. The session saw championship leader Kimi Antonelli crash out in Q1, forcing him to start from 16th place.
via CrashVerstappen tops final practice ahead of Azerbaijan GPMax Verstappen set the fastest time in the final practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, narrowly beating George Russell. Lewis Hamilton also featured prominently, finishing third as Red Bull and Mercedes prepared for qualifying.
via f1oversteer.comMax Verstappen tops final practice at Azerbaijan GPMax Verstappen of Red Bull Racing secured the fastest time in the final practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, ending George Russell's dominance in earlier sessions. Russell, driving for Mercedes, finished second, followed by Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in third.
via RacingNews365Oscar Piastri to start from second row in BakuOscar Piastri will begin the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix from the second row after a strong performance in qualifying. McLaren's improved pace was highlighted during the session, contributing to Piastri's competitive starting position.
via gpfans.comAlpine condemns online abuse after Norris and ColapintoAlpine has issued a statement condemning online abuse directed at Lando Norris and their driver Franco Colapinto following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. This marks another instance of the team speaking out against the negative behaviour of fans after Colapinto's involvement in a multi-car incident.
via Sky Sports F1'Pretty pants!' - Norris rules McLaren out of Baku pole fightLando Norris expressed disappointment with McLaren's performance during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix practice sessions, stating they were significantly off the pace, specifically 1.5 seconds slower than Mercedes' George Russell. Despite bringing a major upgrade package to Baku, Norris felt the new parts did not yield immediate improvements, and he ruled out a contention for pole position.
George Russell, who topped both practice sessions, expects the gaps to tighten in qualifying. Kimi Antonelli faced issues with a hydraulics leak but managed to recover well in the second session. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton noted Ferrari's struggles with tyre performance and straight-line speed, indicating a challenging day for the team.
via racer.comGeorge Russell leads practice sessions at Baku Grand PrixGeorge Russell topped both practice sessions at the Baku City Circuit, giving Mercedes a significant 0.8-second advantage over the rest of the field. However, Mercedes downplayed this dominance, suggesting that differing run plans among drivers may not make the times fully representative.
via CrashLando Norris calls McLaren's Baku pace a 'knife in heart'Lando Norris expressed disappointment over McLaren's performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, describing the team's deficit to the front runners as feeling like 'a little knife in the heart'. After finishing 14th in the opening practice session, Norris noted that the team was 'miles off' the pace compared to competitors like Mercedes.
via F1iGeorge Russell leads practice sessions in BakuGeorge Russell of Mercedes topped both practice sessions ahead of the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. The team's performance indicates a strong start to the race weekend.
via Formula1.comGeorge Russell leads second practice in BakuGeorge Russell topped the timesheets in the second practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, clocking a time of 1:43.347. He was followed by his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
via PlanetF1Lewis Hamilton reprimanded for impeding Liam LawsonLewis Hamilton received a reprimand from the FIA stewards for impeding Liam Lawson during the second practice session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Lawson expressed concerns about Formula 1's regulations, stating they contribute to dangerous situations on track.
via RacingNews365George Russell leads Mercedes one-two in Baku practiceGeorge Russell topped the second practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, leading his Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli. The session was marked by an incident involving Arvid Lindblad, who crashed during the practice.Page 4 of 12