{"id":2707,"date":"2026-09-24T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T09:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/?p=2707"},"modified":"2026-09-24T06:42:15","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T09:42:15","slug":"russell-leads-azerbaijan-fp1-as-hydraulic-failure-sidelines-antonelli","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/russell-leads-azerbaijan-fp1-as-hydraulic-failure-sidelines-antonelli\/","title":{"rendered":"Russell leads Azerbaijan FP1 as hydraulic failure sidelines Antonelli"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>George Russell led Azerbaijan GP FP1 with a 1:45.387<\/strong>, beating Max Verstappen by 0.400s.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kimi Antonelli stopped after 25 minutes with a hydraulic failure but retained fifth place.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ferrari finished third and fourth with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, while Gabriel Bortoleto placed tenth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">George Russell took control of the opening practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after a hydraulic failure ended Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli\u2019s running prematurely in Baku.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Russell produced a <strong>1:45.387<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The championship leader was also caught by spray from a marshal\u2019s fire extinguisher after climbing from the car, although there was no immediate indication that it had suffered a significant fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite completing less than half of the session, <strong>Antonelli remained fifth and 0.878s behind Russell<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Braking problems disrupt opening Baku session<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The combination of Baku\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Piastri nevertheless finished sixth, followed by Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad. Esteban Ocon placed ninth for Haas, while <strong>Gabriel Bortoleto completed the top ten for Audi<\/strong>, 1.301s behind Russell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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 H\u00fclkenberg in 11th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2026 Azerbaijan GP FP1 results<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><th>Pos.<\/th><th>Driver<\/th><th>Team\/Engine<\/th><th>Time<\/th><th>Gap<\/th><th>Laps<\/th><\/tr><tr><td>1<\/td><td>G. RUSSELL<\/td><td>Mercedes<\/td><td>1:45.387<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2<\/td><td>M. VERSTAPPEN<\/td><td>Red Bull Ford<\/td><td>1:45.787<\/td><td>+0.400s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>3<\/td><td>C. LECLERC<\/td><td>Ferrari<\/td><td>1:45.791<\/td><td>+0.404s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>4<\/td><td>L. HAMILTON<\/td><td>Ferrari<\/td><td>1:45.824<\/td><td>+0.437s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>5<\/td><td>K. ANTONELLI<\/td><td>Mercedes<\/td><td>1:46.265<\/td><td>+0.878s<\/td><td>9<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6<\/td><td>O. PIASTRI<\/td><td>McLaren Mercedes<\/td><td>1:46.398<\/td><td>+1.011s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>7<\/td><td>L. LAWSON<\/td><td>Racing Bulls RBPT Ford<\/td><td>1:46.440<\/td><td>+1.053s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>8<\/td><td>A. LINDBLAD<\/td><td>Racing Bulls RBPT Ford<\/td><td>1:46.601<\/td><td>+1.214s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>9<\/td><td>E. OCON<\/td><td>Haas Ferrari<\/td><td>1:46.624<\/td><td>+1.237s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>10<\/td><td>G. BORTOLETO<\/td><td>Audi<\/td><td>1:46.688<\/td><td>+1.301s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11<\/td><td>N. H\u00dcLKENBERG<\/td><td>Audi<\/td><td>1:46.871<\/td><td>+1.484s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>12<\/td><td>C. SAINZ<\/td><td>Williams Mercedes<\/td><td>1:46.893<\/td><td>+1.506s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>13<\/td><td>A. ALBON<\/td><td>Williams Mercedes<\/td><td>1:46.939<\/td><td>+1.552s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>14<\/td><td>L. NORRIS<\/td><td>McLaren Mercedes<\/td><td>1:46.981<\/td><td>+1.594s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>15<\/td><td>O. BEARMAN<\/td><td>Haas Ferrari<\/td><td>1:46.994<\/td><td>+1.607s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>16<\/td><td>P. GASLY<\/td><td>Alpine Mercedes<\/td><td>1:47.043<\/td><td>+1.656s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>17<\/td><td>S. P\u00c9REZ<\/td><td>Cadillac Ferrari<\/td><td>1:47.253<\/td><td>+1.866s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>18<\/td><td>F. COLAPINTO<\/td><td>Alpine Mercedes<\/td><td>1:47.523<\/td><td>+2.136s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>19<\/td><td>F. ALONSO<\/td><td>Aston Martin Honda<\/td><td>1:47.835<\/td><td>+2.448s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>20<\/td><td>I. HADJAR<\/td><td>Red Bull Ford<\/td><td>1:47.873<\/td><td>+2.486s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>21<\/td><td>L. STROLL<\/td><td>Aston Martin Honda<\/td><td>1:48.547<\/td><td>+3.160s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>22<\/td><td>V. BOTTAS<\/td><td>Cadillac Ferrari<\/td><td>1:49.315<\/td><td>+3.928s<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">F1 today: FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What time does the 2026 Azerbaijan GP start?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race starts on <strong>Saturday, September 26, at 12:00 UK time<\/strong>. It begins at 07:00 ET and 04:00 PT in the US, 16:30 in India and 21:00 AEST in eastern Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who starts on pole for the Azerbaijan GP?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why is the Azerbaijan GP being held on Saturday?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race was moved to Saturday because Sunday, September 27, is Azerbaijan\u2019s Remembrance Day, a national day of mourning. The entire F1 weekend was brought forward by one day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>George Russell set the pace in Baku after Mercedes team-mate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli stopped with a hydraulic problem<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1020315759,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"42wp_featured_image_caption":"Russell fastest in Azerbaijan FP1 as Antonelli suffers hydraulic failure","42wp_featured_image_credits":"F1","42wp_featured_video":"","42wp_featured_image_hidden":false,"42wp_authors_list":[{"id":13,"location":""}],"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[517,325,17,314],"42wp_author":[13],"class_list":["post-2707","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-f1","tag-azerbaijan-gp","tag-f1-2026","tag-george-russell","tag-kimi-antonelli","42wp_author-luana-marino"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2707","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2707"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2707\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2708,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2707\/revisions\/2708"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1020315759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2707"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2707"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2707"},{"taxonomy":"42wp_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/42wp_author?post=2707"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}