Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026: Russell narrowly holds off Verstappen in chaotic Baku
The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix provided another typical Baku race: incidents, Safety Cars, and tension right up to the finish line.
George Russell started from pole position and for a long time looked to be heading for a fairly comfortable victory. However, two Safety Cars blew the race wide open, allowing Max Verstappen to contend for the win in the closing stages.
The difference at the finish? Just 0.196 seconds.
With this, Russell took his third win of the season, Verstappen finished second, and Isack Hadjar secured a double podium for Red Bull with P3.
Qualifying: Russell dominant, Antonelli in the wall
George Russell was clearly the fastest man during qualifying.
The Mercedes driver took pole position with a 1:42.526, an impressive 0.837 seconds faster than Charles Leclerc. Oscar Piastri qualified just one thousandth of a second behind the Ferrari in third.
For Kimi Antonelli, Saturday went completely wrong. The world championship leader crashed at the first corner in Q1 and had to settle for P16.
Notable points beforehand:
- Russell took a convincing pole position
- Leclerc and Piastri started from P2 and P3
- Hadjar cleverly put Red Bull in P4
- Verstappen started only from P8
- Antonelli had to fight back from P16 after his crash
For Russell, there was immediately a great opportunity to make up points on his teammate.
The race: Russell builds a substantial lead
Russell got off to an excellent start and maintained the lead. Piastri moved up to P2, while Verstappen and Hadjar worked their way further forward from the opening laps.
For Antonelli, the initial phase was difficult. He even lost a position at the start but then slowly began to make up ground.
At the front, Russell had the race completely under control.
While Piastri tried to keep both Red Bulls behind him, the Mercedes driver pulled further and further away. About halfway through the race, his lead was nearly ten seconds.
The opening phase in short:
- Russell controlled the race from pole
- Verstappen worked his way further forward
- Hadjar also drove strongly
- Antonelli began a recovery race
- Piastri held onto P2 for a long time
Everything seemed under control for Russell, until Baku showed its chaotic side once again.
The turning point: two Safety Cars blow everything open
Alex Albon braked too late and ended up in the wall. The Safety Car came out, and Russell's accumulated lead vanished in an instant.
At the restart, Verstappen managed to pass Piastri and moved into second place. This suddenly put the Red Bull directly behind Russell.
The green flag did not last long.
Franco Colapinto locked his tires at Turn 1 and hit teammate Pierre Gasly. Gasly could then no longer avoid Lando Norris. It meant the end of the race for all three, and the Safety Car came out once more.
Russell had to start over for the second time.
Verstappen hunts Russell
After the final restart, Russell remained in the lead, but Verstappen was constantly within range.
The Dutchman tried to get close enough for an attack, especially on the long straight.
Meanwhile, things went wrong for Oscar Piastri. The McLaren driver locked his wheels at Turn 1 and dropped all the way out of the podium battle. Hadjar took advantage and moved up to P3.
At the front, the gap between Russell and Verstappen became smaller and smaller.
On the final lap, Russell also experienced power issues. Verstappen got closer and closer on the long straight toward the finish and pulled nearly alongside the Mercedes.
But Russell held firm.
After 51 laps, he crossed the finish line just 0.196 seconds ahead of Verstappen.
The result: Russell wins, double podium for Red Bull
Isack Hadjar completed a particularly strong Red Bull weekend behind Russell and Verstappen with P3.
Charles Leclerc finished fourth, while Antonelli managed a clever recovery from P16 to fifth place.
The top five:
- P1: George Russell
- P2: Max Verstappen
- P3: Isack Hadjar
- P4: Charles Leclerc
- P5: Kimi Antonelli
For McLaren, it turned out to be a disappointing afternoon. Norris retired in the incident with the Alpines, and Piastri finished only fourteenth after his mistake.
Conclusion: Russell survives the chaos
The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix began as a dominant race for George Russell but ended in a direct duel with Max Verstappen.
Two Safety Cars wiped out his substantial lead, after which Verstappen tried everything in the final stages. Even a power issue on the last lap could not keep Russell from the victory in the end.
With a difference of just 0.196 seconds, Baku once again delivered a spectacular finish.
Russell won, Verstappen fell just short, and Hadjar rounded off a strong weekend for Red Bull.
