George Russell holds off Max Verstappen by 0.196 seconds to win Azerbaijan Grand Prix
George Russell of Mercedes won the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku on Saturday, September 26, finishing 0.196 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen after two safety car periods wiped out his lead. Isack Hadjar completed the podium for Red Bull.
The win was Russell's third of the 2026 season and the eighth of his career, according to Formula1.com.
From pole to a last-lap fight
Russell started from pole position, 0.837 seconds clear of Charles Leclerc in qualifying, Formula1.com reported. He controlled the opening stint, while Verstappen, who started eighth according to Al Jazeera, worked his way forward.
The first safety car was deployed after Alex Albon locked up at Turn 6 and hit the barrier. Later, Franco Colapinto locked up at Turn 1 and collided with team-mate Pierre Gasly, who then hit Lando Norris. All three retired, and a second safety car followed to clear debris, according to Formula1.com.
Verstappen applied heavy pressure in the closing laps and pulled alongside Russell on the run to the line on the final lap, but could not get past.
Russell said he had briefly lost turbo power at the final restart: "When I went back, I had no turbo, so then I had no power. Max almost got me at the line," he said, according to Formula1.com.
"It's amazing to be back on the top step of the podium. Every race since the (summer) break I've gone from strength to strength and I feel more like myself again," Russell said, Al Jazeera reported.
Top 10
According to RaceFans, the top 10 finishers were:
- George Russell, Mercedes
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- Isack Hadjar, Red Bull
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
- Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
- Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
- Esteban Ocon, Haas
- Oliver Bearman, Haas
- Carlos Sainz Jnr, Williams
Antonelli, who crashed at Turn 1 in qualifying, started 16th and recovered to fifth. McLaren's Oscar Piastri, who started third, finished 13th after a lock-up dropped him down the order.
RacingNews365 reported that Gabriel Bortoleto received a 10-second post-race penalty for overtaking under yellow flags, dropping him from 13th to 15th, and that Colapinto's unserved 10-second penalty was converted into a five-place grid drop for the next race.
Championship picture
After 15 of 23 rounds, Antonelli leads the drivers' standings with 302 points, ahead of Russell on 236, according to RaceFans. Hamilton is third on 199, Norris fourth on 186 and Leclerc fifth on 179. Mercedes leads the constructors' championship with 538 points, ahead of Ferrari on 378 and McLaren on 306.
Why it matters
The result cut Russell's deficit to his Mercedes team-mate to 66 points with eight rounds left. Norris, fourth in the standings, scored no points after being caught up in the Colapinto incident, while Red Bull left Baku with second and third place after Verstappen's climb from eighth on the grid.
Sources
- Formula1.com, "Russell narrowly holds off Verstappen to take victory over the line in chaotic Azerbaijan GP"
- RaceFans, "2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix race result and championship points"
- Al Jazeera, "Russell edges out Verstappen to win in Baku, Antonelli settles for fifth"
- RacingNews365, "Adjusted 2026 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix results after post-race penalty"
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
