News Summary
- George Russell led both Azerbaijan GP practice sessions, beating Kimi Antonelli in FP2.
- Lando Norris described McLaren’s 1.5-second deficit as “a little knife in the heart”.
- Lewis Hamilton escaped a grid penalty after severely impeding Liam Lawson.
Mercedes established itself as the early Azerbaijan GP benchmark on Thursday, but the opening day in Baku produced considerably more than a commanding performance from George Russell.
McLaren finished almost 1.5 seconds behind, Aston Martin was slower than every Formula 2 car through the speed trap and Lewis Hamilton attracted the stewards’ attention. Here are the main Formula 1 stories of September 24.
Russell completes Baku practice sweep
George Russell led both Azerbaijan GP practice sessions, finishing FP2 with a 1min43.347s lap.
Kimi Antonelli completed a Mercedes one-two, 0.552s behind, while Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Hamilton completed the top five. Mercedes appears to possess genuine performance, although its advantage may have been exaggerated by disrupted programmes elsewhere.
Antonelli recovers from hydraulic failure and small fire
Antonelli’s second place represented a significant recovery after a hydraulic problem ended his FP1 prematurely. The Mercedes also suffered a small fire after stopping beside the circuit.
The championship leader joked that he wanted the marshals to use even more extinguisher before explaining that the incident had caused limited damage. Antonelli nevertheless admitted that the lost running was far from ideal.
Norris calls McLaren deficit “a knife in the heart”
Lando Norris finished sixth and 1.484s behind Russell, leaving McLaren with substantial work before qualifying.
The Briton called the situation “pretty pants” and said seeing the deficit felt like “a little knife in the heart”. Norris insisted the car did not feel especially poor, making the lack of lap time even more concerning.
Hamilton receives second reprimand of 2026
Hamilton avoided a grid penalty but received his second reprimand of the season after the stewards ruled that he had severely impeded Liam Lawson during FP2.
The Ferrari driver remained on the racing line as Lawson approached at speed. The stewards accepted that Hamilton had not been properly warned, but concluded that he still carried responsibility for monitoring approaching traffic.
Aston Martin’s straight-line crisis deepens
Aston Martin endured an alarming opening day. Fernando Alonso reached 311km/h and Lance Stroll only 309km/h through the relevant speed measurement.
For comparison, every Formula 2 car recorded a higher figure, with Joshua Dürksen reaching 326.7km/h. Alonso’s hands were also seen shaking violently inside the cockpit as he fought severe vibration.
Both Aston Martins will already start from the back following changes to their Honda power-unit components.
Audi upgrade leaves questions unanswered
Audi introduced its first significant upgrade since June, but Gabriel Bortoleto fell from tenth in FP1 to 14th in FP2. The Brazilian finished 2.447s behind Russell, immediately ahead of team-mate Nico Hülkenberg.
Bortoleto reported a lack of grip and admitted he did not yet understand the reason for the drop. Audi must now determine whether the package worked as intended before parc fermé begins.
Antonelli cannot clinch the championship in Baku
Antonelli arrived in Azerbaijan with 292 points, 81 ahead of Russell. Despite that advantage, the Mercedes driver cannot mathematically secure the championship this weekend.
Even if Antonelli wins and Russell fails to score, the available points would keep the title open. Singapore is therefore his earliest possible championship-clinching opportunity.
Lindblad crashes twice at Baku’s castle section
Arvid Lindblad struck the barriers twice while entering the narrow castle section during FP2. The Red Bull driver stopped on the circuit but climbed from the car without assistance and was uninjured.
It was another costly accident for Lindblad following his previous practice crash, leaving Red Bull with repair work before Friday’s decisive sessions.
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F1 today: FAQ
What time does the 2026 Azerbaijan GP start?
The race starts on Saturday, September 26, at 12:00 UK time. It begins at 07:00 ET and 04:00 PT in the US, 16:30 in India and 21:00 AEST in eastern Australia.
Who starts on pole for the Azerbaijan GP?
George Russell starts from pole for Mercedes, ahead of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri. Isack Hadjar qualified fourth, followed by Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton.
Why is the Azerbaijan GP being held on Saturday?
The race was moved to Saturday because Sunday, September 27, is Azerbaijan’s Remembrance Day, a national day of mourning. The entire F1 weekend was brought forward by one day.
