In one of the closest finishes in F1 history, George Russell claimed his eighth victory at the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Mr Saturday is a deserving name for the Mercedes driver, who claimed his maiden Grand Slam in Baku. Settling for second, it was Max Verstappen who ended the race one tenth behind in a dramatic ending. Rounding out the podium, Isack Hadjar had a comeback to remember, claiming the third podium of his career.
So Far This Weekend…
George Russell entered the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as the driver to beat after topping both FP1 and FP2, before Max Verstappen led the way in final practice.
Russell returned to the top when it mattered in qualifying, securing pole position ahead of Charles Leclerc, with Oscar Piastri just 0.001 seconds behind the Ferrari in third. Isack Hadjar impressed to qualify fourth, ahead of Lando Norris in fifth.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli faced a more difficult Saturday, crashing at Turn 1 in Q1 and leaving himself 16th on the grid. Verstappen also found himself further down the order than expected, qualifying eighth and setting up a recovery drive through the streets of Baku.
Lights Out in Baku
It was lights out on the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and it was George Russell who maintained his pole position into Turn 1. Behind, Oscar Piastri got the best of Charles Leclerc, passing the Monegasque on the opening corner. Lando Norris made his way around Isack Hadjar, while Kimi Antonelli lost places down in 17th.
After the first lap, it was Russell who had gained over a second and a half to the field, while Max Verstappen passed Pierre Gasly and Lewis Hamilton for sixth. The Dutchman continued his charge into the third lap, gaining another place past Norris, before closing in on his teammate.
Heading into the fourth lap, Leclerc and Hadjar continued to trade places, with the Red Bull claiming third and the fastest lap. With Russell almost three seconds ahead of the field, the Red Bull duo began to close in on the McLaren of Piastri.
Red Bulls on the Hunt
While Hadjar made it easier for his teammate to pass, it was clear the Red Bulls had some of the best race pace. Elsewhere on track, Lance Stroll became the first retirement of the race, bringing out a brief Yellow Flag as his car came to a slow before pulling into the pits.
By Lap 10, Antonelli was up to 13th, passing Esteban Ocon across the main straight. With Russell still ahead, it was the four time World Champion who was closing in on Piastri. However, Verstappen was starting to struggle on his medium tyres, with Hadjar reducing the gap.
Behind, Norris and Hamilton were in a tight battle for sixth, with the Ferrari -passing ahead of Turn 1. Heading into the 20th lap, it was clear Hadjar in fourth had the pace over his teammate. Hadjar, who returns to Baku, after three race weekends off with a wrist injury will be hoping to mark the occasion with his third podium. Vocal over the radio, the Frenchman was wanting to pass his teammate for the final podium position.
Aston Martin’s Frustration Continues
After a retirement from Stroll earlier in the race, Fernando Alonso was brought into the pits to retire his car. The Silverstone based outfit will be looking to bounce back in Malaysia and Singapore over the next few weeks.
In the midfield, Antonelli was now into the points, passing France Colapinto for ninth. His teammate, who was over ten seconds ahead of Piastri in second, was next on the radio, mentioned a brush with the wall.
With the race now past its halfway distance and many drivers struggling with there tyres. On Lap 30, Norris brought out a brief yellow flag, locking up into the Turn 1 run off. The reigning World Champion was able to rejoin the track before pulling into the pits one lap later.
Albon into the Wall
On Lap 30, it was Alexander Albon who brought out the first Safety Car of the Race. The Williams driver locked up into the corner, before his car went into the barriers. With it now prime time to pit, the first five drivers were all past the pit entrance before the Safety Car was called.
Boxing at the end of Lap 31, Russell through to Hamilton still managed to come out ahead of Gasly. With both Red Bull and Ferrari forced to double stack, Hadjar was at risk to get overtaken, however was able to edge out ahead of Leclerc.
With the race neutralised, every driver on fresh tyres and less than 20 laps remaining, the race was effectively a Sprint Race.
Green Lights in Baku
After almost 5 laps under the Safety Car, it was George Russell who led the field away for the final 15 laps. The Mercedes driver got the best start of the field, while Vertsappen got past Piastri.
However, it wasn’t long until the Yellow Flag was back out. Both Alpines and Norris were sent spinning into the Turn 1 run off area, bringing out the second Safety Car. With all cars directed through the pitman, not was only Norris and Gasly who was forced to abandon his car.
Replays show Colapinto locking up with speed into the first corner before bowling into his teammate and then Norris. Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson were also caught up with the drama, while Colapinto retired the following lap.
Second Restart for Russell
With a second safety car restart only a few laps later, it was Vertsappen who was now hunting the Mercedes down. Behind them, Piastri was looking to hold onto his podium as the track was green once again. Into the 40th lap and it was Oscar Piastri who was the next lockup into the Turn 1 runoff. With Hadjar now in third, the fight for the win was truly on.
As Piastri was now in 15th and out of the points, its was an unlucky day for McLaren, who walk away from Baku with zero points.
With ten laps to go, Antonelli and Hamilton were in a battle for fifth, almost three second behind Leclerc in fourth. At the front of the field, Verstappen was still within a second of Russell. Four seconds behind, Hadjar was starting to struggle as Leclerc closed in on the Frenchman.
With five laps to go, it was still Russell who was holding onto the race lead by half a second. The Briton, who has struggled against his teammate this season, was on track for his maiden Grand Slam. After leading every race, the polesitter had claimed the fastest lap, all that was needed was the race win as well. However, he had Verstappen behind, who was not making it easy for him.
As the final laps ticked by, it was Lindblad who made his move past Ollie Bearman for eighth. Next on his radar was Ocon in seventh, as HAAS looked to gain valuable points ion their midfield fight. As Russell crossed the line for the final two laps, it was Verstappen who was still only seven tenths behind.
As the Checkered Flag flew
On the 51st Lap, it was Valterri Bottas who ended up in the barriers. Going past the retired Cadillac, Verstappen was closing in on Russell but it was too late. With the Checkered Flag flying, it was George Russell who came home to claim victory by one tenth.
In one of the tightest finishes in Formula 1 history, Russell claimed his eighth victory and his maiden Grand Slam. For Verstappen, he was forced to settle for second after a demanding race. However, Red Bull has lots to smile about as Hadjar edged out Leclerc for the final podium position. After three race weekends away, this result marks a statement return for the young Frenchman.
Off the podium, Leclerc led Antonelli, who gained 11 position in today’s race. Hamilton secured sixth, while it was the battle for seventh that left Lindblad finishing less than one tenth ahead of Ocon. Bearman followed seven tenths behind, while Sainz came home to claim a valuable point in tenth. Outside the points, Nico Hulkenburg led Lawson, while Gabriel Bortoleto held off Piastri and Checo Perez.
Formula 1 will return next weekend for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia at 8am GMT.
Feature Image Credit: Formula 1