George Russell beat Max Verstappen by 0.196 seconds to win the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while Kimi Antonelli recovered to fifth from 16th on the grid.
George Russell turned a dominant qualifying performance into a dramatic Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory, but the Mercedes driver had to survive a late charge from Max Verstappen before crossing the line just 0.196 seconds ahead. Russell led all 51 laps in Baku and claimed his third win of the 2026 Formula 1 season, while Verstappen charged from eighth on the grid to finish second. Six drivers failed to finish in an incident-filled race.
Isack Hadjar completed Red Bull’s double podium in third, while Charles Leclerc finished fourth. Kimi Antonelli recovered from 16th on the grid to take fifth, limiting the damage from his qualifying crash and keeping his championship lead intact.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time/Gap | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:38:02.143 | 25 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | +0.196s | 18 |
| 3 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | +10.704s | 15 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +14.136s | 12 |
| 5 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +14.512s | 10 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +22.382s | 8 |
| 7 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +31.159s | 6 |
| 8 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +31.189s | 4 |
| 9 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +31.929s | 2 |
| 10 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +32.416s | 1 |
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How Did Russell Build His Lead In Baku?
George Russell entered the race with the strongest possible starting position after producing a 1:42.526 lap in qualifying. His advantage over Leclerc was 0.837 seconds, the largest qualifying margin of the season, while Antonelli’s crash at Turn 1 left him starting 16th. Russell made a clean getaway and immediately established control. Oscar Piastri moved into second at the start, but the McLaren soon found itself under pressure from the Red Bulls. Hadjar passed Leclerc for third before Verstappen moved through the field and eventually took second from Piastri.
That allowed Russell to focus on managing the gap rather than fighting for every corner. By the middle of the race, he had built a sizeable advantage while the battle behind him continued to change. The balance shifted when Alex Albon crashed at Turn 6, bringing out the first Safety Car. The leaders pitted for fresh tyres, setting up a second phase of the race in which Russell once again had to defend his position after the restart.
How Did The Safety Cars Change The Race?
Baku’s long straights and narrow sections had already produced plenty of action before the Safety Cars arrived. The first major disruption came after Albon’s crash, but the second was even more significant. Franco Colapinto locked up approaching Turn 1 after the first restart and collided with Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly. Gasly was then unable to avoid Lando Norris, bringing all three cars into the incident and forcing a second Safety Car period.
The interruption erased much of Russell’s advantage and put Verstappen directly behind him for the final phase. Meanwhile, Piastri, who had spent much of the race in the podium fight, suffered a lock-up at Turn 1 after the restart and dropped down the order. He eventually finished 14th. Antonelli benefited from the chaos. After beginning the afternoon on the 16th and initially falling to the 17th, he worked his way through the field and eventually reached fifth. That recovery became increasingly important as Russell and Verstappen began their fight at the front.
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What Happened Between Russell And Verstappen On The Final Lap?
Once the second Safety Car period ended, Russell remained ahead, but Verstappen was now close enough to apply sustained pressure. The Red Bull driver had made his way from eighth to second and continued looking for a mistake from the Mercedes. A late crash involving Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas brought out yellow flags shortly before the leaders reached the final lap. Race control did not deploy another safety car, so Russell and Verstappen were still able to race for victory.
That created the crucial final sequence. On the 51st and final lap, Verstappen stayed tucked behind Russell and then pulled alongside down the start-finish straight. Russell had enough momentum to keep the Red Bull behind him and reached the chequered flag just 0.196 seconds ahead. Russell later explained that the late yellow flag forced him to lift off the throttle and that he subsequently lost turbo power. Verstappen therefore had a genuine opportunity to take the win on the final run to the line, but Russell held on.
What Does The Result Mean For The Championship?
Before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Antonelli led Russell by 81 points. Russell scored 25 points for winning in Baku, while Antonelli collected 10 for fifth place. That reduced the championship gap by 15 points, leaving Antonelli 66 points clear of his Mercedes teammate after 15 rounds. Antonelli has 302 points, compared with Russell’s 236, while Lewis Hamilton sits third on 199.
Mercedes also strengthened their position in the constructors’ championship. The team now has 538 points, with Ferrari second on 378 and McLaren third on 306. For Russell, the victory was his eighth in Formula 1 and his first since the Austrian Grand Prix. For Antonelli, the fifth-place finish ensured that a difficult qualifying session did not become a major setback in the title race. With Russell closing the gap by 15 points in Baku, will the Mercedes teammates take an even bigger share of the championship battle as the 2026 season enters its next phase?
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