Russell Wins Azerbaijan GP, Cuts Antonelli’s Title Lead to 66 Points

George Russell won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 26, securing his third victory of the 2026 season and narrowing the championship gap. The Mercedes driver held off Max Verstappen by just 0.196 seconds in a tense final lap at the Baku City Circuit. Russell’s victory cut teammate Kimi Antonelli’s lead from 81 points to 66 with eight races left. The 28-year-old started from pole position and led from start to finish despite two safety car restarts.

Russell dominates from pole to flag

Russell grabbed pole position on Friday by eight tenths and converted it into victory on Saturday. He built an early lead of more than 10 seconds over the chasing pack, initially led by Oscar Piastri. The Mercedes driver managed two safety car restarts cleanly, including a tricky restart on the main straight where Verstappen briefly overtook Piastri but could not pass Russell.

Verstappen’s late charge falls just short

Max Verstappen started eighth and climbed to second, then mounted a fierce attack in the final 10 laps. The Red Bull driver closed to within one tenth of Russell’s rear wing but could not find a way through. A yellow flag on the final lap for Valtteri Bottas’s stricken car cost Verstappen crucial turbo power, and he crossed the line 0.196 seconds behind. Isack Hadjar, Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, finished third on his return from a six-week injury layoff.

Antonelli recovers from 16th to stay in title fight

Kimi Antonelli hit the wall during Friday qualifying and started 16th on the grid. The 20-year-old Italian made a strong recovery to finish fifth, climbing through the chaos of multiple safety car restarts and six driver retirements. Despite the poor start, Antonelli remains 66 points clear of Russell with eight races remaining in the season.

Six drivers fail to finish in chaotic race

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix saw six retirements, including McLaren’s Lando Norris, who was caught in a Turn 1 incident involving Alpine teammates Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly. Williams driver Alex Albon also hit the barrier, triggering the first safety car. The race featured multiple restarts and collisions that shuffled the field repeatedly, with Oscar Piastri dropping from podium contention to 14th after a late lock-up.

Final Thoughts

Russell’s win proves he remains a threat to Antonelli’s title. With eight races left and a 66-point gap, Russell must win consistently to close the deficit. The championship battle tightens as Mercedes finds form at a critical stage of the season.

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