News Summary

The Azerbaijan GP grid is finally settled after a qualifying session dominated by George Russell—and an evening of penalties that changed almost every position outside the opening four rows.

Russell produced one of Formula 1’s most emphatic dry-weather pole laps, while Kimi Antonelli, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen all left qualifying believing considerably more had been possible.

Here are the main F1 stories from Baku on Friday, September 25.

Russell takes pole by extraordinary 0.837s

Russell secured pole with a 1:42.526, beating Charles Leclerc by 0.837s. Oscar Piastri qualified third, only 0.001s behind the Ferrari, with Isack Hadjar and Norris completing the top five.

The margin was the largest recorded in a completely dry qualifying session since Nigel Mansell beat Riccardo Patrese by 0.859s at Suzuka in 1992.

The comparison excludes wet or changing sessions. At the 2023 Canadian GP, for example, Max Verstappen completed Q3 1.244s ahead of Nico Hülkenberg in wet conditions. Hülkenberg’s subsequent penalty promoted Fernando Alonso to the front row.

The complete historical comparison places Russell’s Baku margin among F1’s largest of the modern era.

Antonelli crashes and falls to 16th

Antonelli hit the wall at Turn 1 during Q1 after encountering more front-end grip than on his previous lap. The impact damaged the front-left corner of his Mercedes and forced him to stop at Turn 7.

His time was sufficient to reach Q2, but the car could not be repaired before the session resumed. The championship leader therefore starts 16th, while team-mate Russell occupies pole.

Antonelli called the mistake “very unnecessary” and admitted that he was “very, very mad”. Mercedes nevertheless possesses the strongest estimated race pace, giving the Italian a realistic recovery opportunity.

Antonelli accepted responsibility for the accident but backed Mercedes to recover positions.

No driver has won in Baku from lower than tenth, although Antonelli has already demonstrated his recovery ability by winning at Monza from 19th.

Four penalties reshape Azerbaijan GP grid

Carlos Sainz received a five-place penalty for failing to slow sufficiently under yellow flags and drops from ninth to 14th.

Sergio Pérez was penalised three places for impeding Piastri and now starts 20th. Lance Stroll and Alonso received 20-place and 25-place penalties respectively following changes to Aston Martin’s Honda power-unit components.

Franco Colapinto benefits most among the leading midfield drivers, moving from tenth to ninth. Oliver Bearman, Liam Lawson, Alex Albon and Esteban Ocon also gain one position.

The revised Azerbaijan GP starting grid places Stroll 21st and Alonso last.

Piastri leads McLaren challenge from third

Piastri starts third after missing Leclerc’s front-row position by only 0.001s. McLaren’s qualifying pace was insufficient to challenge Russell, but its long-run deficit to Mercedes was estimated at only 0.05s.

That makes the Australian Russell’s most credible race threat alongside Leclerc. Piastri also won in Baku in 2024 and starts from the clean side of the second row.

Track position will be critical because McLaren has struggled for straight-line speed throughout the weekend. The race simulations nevertheless indicate that McLaren is considerably closer to Mercedes than the qualifying margin suggests.

Norris says Baku podium is “impossible”

Norris starts fifth after locking a tyre during his final Q3 attempt. He accepted responsibility, explaining that he would rather risk everything for pole than settle for a conservative lap.

His greater concern is McLaren’s straight-line deficit. Norris said fighting for the podium would be “impossible” because his car lacked speed along Baku’s extensive full-throttle sections.

The problem had already emerged during practice, when Norris described McLaren’s 1.5-second deficit as “a knife in the heart”.

The Briton must first clear Hadjar’s Red Bull, which starts fourth and has demonstrated significantly stronger straight-line performance.

Verstappen blames engine and battery problems

Verstappen qualified eighth after leading FP3 earlier on Friday. He estimated that insufficient top speed cost approximately half a second per lap, even compared with team-mate Hadjar.

The Dutchman also reported that his battery failed to charge correctly during a Q3 preparation lap. That forced him to abandon the attempt and reduced tyre temperature before his final run.

The problems represented a dramatic reversal after Verstappen had beaten Russell by 0.099s to lead FP3.

Verstappen described qualifying as a “disaster” after Red Bull had appeared competitive throughout practice. He now starts behind Pierre Gasly and more than 1.5s slower than Russell’s pole time.

Hamilton criticises Ferrari’s Q3 plan

Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth and blamed Ferrari’s changed Q3 programme and the absence of a tow.

Ferrari abandoned its initial two-run plan, leaving Hamilton at the front of the queue without another car ahead along Baku’s long straight. He also acknowledged that Mercedes possessed a decisive straight-line advantage.

Hamilton starts directly behind Norris and alongside Gasly. Leclerc, meanwhile, begins from the front row after qualifying only 0.001s ahead of Piastri.

The setback followed an opening day in which Hamilton received his second reprimand of 2026 for severely impeding Liam Lawson.

Ocon erupts after yellow flags deny Q3 chance

Ocon qualified 14th before Sainz’s penalty promoted him to 13th. The Haas driver believed he lost three or four tenths when yellow flags forced him to slow during his decisive Q2 lap.

He finished only 0.333s outside the Q3 cut-off and insisted the VF-26 had the performance to reach the final session.

“It’s different race weekend, same shit,” Ocon said after another setback. “I don’t deserve all the shit that I have on my back at the moment.”

The comments follow Ocon’s admission that inconsistent components have affected his car during 10 of the opening 15 rounds. His frustration also comes days after he declared himself a free agent for the 2027 season.

Russell remains favourite—but Baku rewards flexibility

Mercedes produced the fastest qualifying lap and the strongest estimated race pace. Russell is therefore the clear favourite, but pole position has delivered victory in only three of the nine previous Formula 1 races held in Baku.

The expected strategy is a one-stop race, with medium-to-hard the conventional choice. However, the low degradation and likelihood of a Safety Car could reward drivers who extend their opening stints.

The full Azerbaijan GP tyre strategy guide explains the predicted pit windows and alternative plans.

The Azerbaijan GP begins at 12:00 UK, 07:00 ET, 16:30 India and 21:00 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on Saturday. The complete start-time guide covers the principal international markets.

GRANDE PRÊMIO follows the Azerbaijan GP LIVE and in REAL TIME.

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.

Who starts on pole for the Azerbaijan GP?

George Russell starts from pole after setting a 1:42.526 and beating Charles Leclerc by 0.837s.