News Summary
- George Russell led Azerbaijan GP FP1 with a 1:45.387, beating Max Verstappen by 0.400s.
- Kimi Antonelli stopped after 25 minutes with a hydraulic failure but retained fifth place.
- Ferrari finished third and fourth with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, while Gabriel Bortoleto placed tenth.
George Russell took control of the opening practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after a hydraulic failure ended Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli’s running prematurely in Baku.
Russell produced a 1:45.387 on soft tyres to finish 0.400s ahead of Max Verstappen. Charles Leclerc placed third, only 0.004s ahead of Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
Antonelli had led the session with a 1:46.265 before reporting a loss of hydraulic pressure and stopping in the Turn 7 escape road after approximately 25 minutes. Race control activated the Virtual Safety Car while marshals recovered the smoking W17.
The championship leader was also caught by spray from a marshal’s fire extinguisher after climbing from the car, although there was no immediate indication that it had suffered a significant fire.
Despite completing less than half of the session, Antonelli remained fifth and 0.878s behind Russell.
Braking problems disrupt opening Baku session
The combination of Baku’s long straights, heavy braking zones and high track temperatures created problems across the field. Several drivers missed their braking points, while Oscar Piastri reported severe brake vibration in the upgraded McLaren.
Alexander Albon returned to the Williams garage with the rear brakes on fire. Isack Hadjar, making his Formula 1 return after missing three races with a wrist injury, was instructed to reduce speed and return to the pits after reporting a mechanical problem with his Red Bull.
Piastri nevertheless finished sixth, followed by Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad. Esteban Ocon placed ninth for Haas, while Gabriel Bortoleto completed the top ten for Audi, 1.301s behind Russell.
Bortoleto spent much of the session on hard tyres before moving into the top ten during his soft-tyre run. He finished 0.183s ahead of Audi team-mate Nico Hülkenberg in 11th.
Lando Norris endured a subdued opening session for McLaren and finished 14th, 1.594s off the pace. Fernando Alonso, Hadjar, Lance Stroll and Valtteri Bottas occupied the final four positions.
2026 Azerbaijan GP FP1 results
| Pos. | Driver | Team/Engine | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G. RUSSELL | Mercedes | 1:45.387 | — | — |
| 2 | M. VERSTAPPEN | Red Bull Ford | 1:45.787 | +0.400s | — |
| 3 | C. LECLERC | Ferrari | 1:45.791 | +0.404s | — |
| 4 | L. HAMILTON | Ferrari | 1:45.824 | +0.437s | — |
| 5 | K. ANTONELLI | Mercedes | 1:46.265 | +0.878s | 9 |
| 6 | O. PIASTRI | McLaren Mercedes | 1:46.398 | +1.011s | — |
| 7 | L. LAWSON | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford | 1:46.440 | +1.053s | — |
| 8 | A. LINDBLAD | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford | 1:46.601 | +1.214s | — |
| 9 | E. OCON | Haas Ferrari | 1:46.624 | +1.237s | — |
| 10 | G. BORTOLETO | Audi | 1:46.688 | +1.301s | — |
| 11 | N. HÜLKENBERG | Audi | 1:46.871 | +1.484s | — |
| 12 | C. SAINZ | Williams Mercedes | 1:46.893 | +1.506s | — |
| 13 | A. ALBON | Williams Mercedes | 1:46.939 | +1.552s | — |
| 14 | L. NORRIS | McLaren Mercedes | 1:46.981 | +1.594s | — |
| 15 | O. BEARMAN | Haas Ferrari | 1:46.994 | +1.607s | — |
| 16 | P. GASLY | Alpine Mercedes | 1:47.043 | +1.656s | — |
| 17 | S. PÉREZ | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:47.253 | +1.866s | — |
| 18 | F. COLAPINTO | Alpine Mercedes | 1:47.523 | +2.136s | — |
| 19 | F. ALONSO | Aston Martin Honda | 1:47.835 | +2.448s | — |
| 20 | I. HADJAR | Red Bull Ford | 1:47.873 | +2.486s | — |
| 21 | L. STROLL | Aston Martin Honda | 1:48.547 | +3.160s | — |
| 22 | V. BOTTAS | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:49.315 | +3.928s | — |
F1 today: FAQ
What time is Singapore GP sprint qualifying today?
Sprint qualifying starts at 20:30 Singapore time on Friday, October 9, equivalent to 13:30 BST in the UK, 08:30 ET in the United States and Canada, and 18:00 IST in India. The session determines the starting grid for Saturday’s sprint.
Who was fastest in Singapore GP FP1?
George Russell topped FP1 with a 1:32.274, driving Mercedes’ older W17 aerodynamic specification. Charles Leclerc finished second, 0.198s behind, followed by Lando Norris in third. Kimi Antonelli was seventh with the upgraded Mercedes, while Gabriel Bortoleto finished 16th.
Why is George Russell using the old Mercedes at the Singapore GP?
Mercedes is comparing its previous W17 specification with the aerodynamic upgrade introduced at Sepang. Russell is using the older package, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli retains the new version. Russell led FP1, but differences in tyre compounds and run programmes mean the result alone does not establish which specification is faster.
