Russell holds off Verstappen by 0.196s in Baku thriller
The short version
George Russell (Mercedes) won the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix from pole position, leading every lap and crossing the line 0.196s ahead of Max Verstappen, who charged from eighth on the grid. Isack Hadjar completed a double podium for Red Bull on his return from injury. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli recovered from 16th to fifth, so his lead over Russell is now 66 points with eight rounds to go.
- 0.196sMargin of victory
- 1:44.916Fastest lap · Russell
- P16 → P5Antonelli · biggest mover (+11)
- 6Retirements · incl. Colapinto, Gasly
George Russell
Max Verstappen
Isack Hadjar
Lights out in Baku, and George Russell never looked back. The Mercedes driver turned pole position into a lights-to-flag victory at the Baku City Circuit — but the final laps were anything but comfortable, with Max Verstappen’s Red Bull filling his mirrors all the way to the chequered flag. The winning margin: 0.196 seconds.
Russell survives two restarts and a Verstappen onslaught
Russell’s afternoon was a study in control under pressure. He led away cleanly from pole, then had to nail two safety-car restarts as the race neutralised twice — first when Alex Albon crashed his Williams at Turn 5, and again after a multi-car incident in which Franco Colapinto locked up and hit Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly, with Lando Norris caught up in the wreckage.
Verstappen, meanwhile, was carving through from eighth on the grid, after an engine problem in qualifying. By the closing stages he was the only car that mattered, the gap swinging between a few tenths and a second as he probed for a way past. On the final lap a yellow flag briefly cost Russell his boost and Verstappen nearly got through, but Russell held on to take his third win of 2026, and he also set the race’s fastest lap, a 1:44.916.
Hadjar’s comeback podium
The quiet story of the day was Isack Hadjar. Back in the Red Bull after a wrist injury kept him out of Zandvoort, Monza and the new Madring, he brought the car home third, 10.704s behind the winner, giving Red Bull its first double podium since 2024. Read the full feature: Hadjar’s Comeback Podium.
Antonelli limits the damage
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli hit the wall at Turn 1 in qualifying, started 16th and dropped to 17th on the opening lap. What followed was the drive of the midfield: the 20-year-old climbed all the way to fifth, just four seconds off the podium with eight laps remaining. He only lost 15 points to his team-mate on a day that could have been far worse.
McLaren’s miserable Saturday
It was a day to forget for McLaren. Norris was out after the Colapinto incident, and Oscar Piastri finished 13th, out of the points. Aston Martin also had a double retirement, with both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso stopped by technical problems, and Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac didn’t make the finish, although he was still classified 16th.
Further down the order, Arvid Lindblad took seventh for Racing Bulls, Haas scored with both cars (Esteban Ocon P8, Oliver Bearman P9), and Carlos Sainz took the final point for Williams.
What it means for the championship
Antonelli still leads on 302 points, but Russell’s win cuts the gap to 66 points (236) with eight rounds left. More than 200 points are still available. Mercedes lead the constructors’ table with 538 points, 160 clear of Ferrari. See the full standings and our analysis: Antonelli’s 66-Point Cushion, Examined.
Next up: the Bahrain Grand Prix, relocated to Sepang, Malaysia (4 October) — read the preview.
Key moments
- StartRussell converts pole cleanly. Antonelli, starting 16th, loses a place on lap one and drops to 17th.
- SC 1Alex Albon crashes his Williams at Turn 5, bringing out the first safety car.
- SC 2Franco Colapinto locks up and collects Pierre Gasly; Lando Norris is caught in the incident. Liam Lawson is hit by team-mate Arvid Lindblad in the chaos.
- Final lapsVerstappen hunts Russell down, with the gap swinging between a few tenths and a second — but never quite close enough to pass.
- FlagRussell wins by 0.196s. Hadjar takes P3 for Red Bull's first double podium since 2024.
Race classification
2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix · official classification| Pos | Driver | Time / Gap | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Russell | 1:38:02.143 | 25 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | +0.196 | 18 |
| 3 | Isack Hadjar | +10.704 | 15 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | +14.136 | 12 |
| 5 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | +14.512 | 10 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | +22.382 | 8 |
| 7 | Arvid Lindblad | +31.159 | 6 |
| 8 | Esteban Ocon | +31.189 | 4 |
| 9 | Oliver Bearman | +31.929 | 2 |
| 10 | Carlos Sainz | +32.416 | 1 |
| 11 | Nico Hülkenberg | +33.231 | 0 |
| 12 | Liam Lawson | +34.013 | 0 |
| 13 | Oscar Piastri | +36.401 | 0 |
| 14 | Sergio Pérez | +41.400 | 0 |
| 15 | Gabriel Bortoleto | +44.230 | 0 |
| 16 | Valtteri Bottas | Retired | 0 |
Did not finish
6 retirements| Driver | Reason |
|---|---|
| Franco Colapinto | Collision |
| Pierre Gasly | Collision |
| Lando Norris | Collision |
| Alexander Albon | Crash |
| Fernando Alonso | Technical |
| Lance Stroll | Technical |
Stewards' decisions
- Gabriel Bortoleto: 10-second time penalty for overtaking under yellow flags (P13 → P15).
- Franco Colapinto: unserved 10-second penalty converted to a five-place grid drop for the next round at Sepang.
Championship after Baku
Full standings →| Pos | Driver | Wins | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | 8 | 302 |
| 2 | George Russell | 3 | 236 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | 1 | 199 |
| 4 | Lando Norris | 2 | 186 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | 1 | 179 |
Quick answers
Who won the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
George Russell (Mercedes) won the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit on 26 September 2026, finishing 0.196 ahead of Max Verstappen in a race time of 1:38:02.143.
Who finished on the podium at the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
P1 George Russell (Mercedes), P2 Max Verstappen (Red Bull), P3 Isack Hadjar (Red Bull).
Who set the fastest lap at the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
George Russell set the fastest lap of the race, a 1:44.916.
How many drivers retired from the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
6 drivers did not finish: Franco Colapinto (collision), Pierre Gasly (collision), Lando Norris (collision), Alexander Albon (crash), Fernando Alonso (technical), Lance Stroll (technical).
Who leads the 2026 F1 championship after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
Andrea Kimi Antonelli leads the 2026 Drivers' Championship on 302 points, 66 ahead of George Russell (236) after Round 15 of 23. Mercedes lead the Constructors' Championship with 538 points.
Did Max Verstappen nearly win in Baku?
Yes. Verstappen started eighth and finished just 0.196s behind George Russell. On the final lap a yellow flag briefly cost Russell his boost, and Verstappen nearly got past.
What penalties were handed out after the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
Gabriel Bortoleto received a 10-second time penalty for overtaking under yellow flags, dropping him from 13th to 15th. Franco Colapinto's unserved 10-second penalty was converted into a five-place grid penalty for the next round at Sepang.