George Russell won a thrilling Azerbaijan GP 2026 in Baku on Saturday, holding off Max Verstappen by just 0.196 seconds in one of the most dramatic Formula 1 races of the season. The Mercedes driver survived late pressure from the Red Bull star to claim his third victory of the 2026 F1 season.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix featured multiple Safety Car periods, several crashes and six retirements as the demanding Baku City Circuit once again produced an unpredictable F1 race.
George Russell wins Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Russell started the Azerbaijan GP 2026 from pole position after producing a remarkable qualifying lap. He immediately established control at the front and built a significant advantage during the opening stages.
The Mercedes driver looked comfortable for much of the race, but the Safety Car changed the complexion of the contest. After the restart, Verstappen closed rapidly and put Russell under enormous pressure during the final laps.
Verstappen eventually finished just 0.196 seconds behind Russell, narrowly missing out on what would have been his first victory of the season.
Russell’s victory was the eighth of his F1 career and his third win of the 2026 campaign.
Azerbaijan GP 2026 results
The final F1 results from Baku saw Russell take the victory ahead of Verstappen and Isack Hadjar.
| Position | Driver | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Russell | 25 points |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | 18 points |
| 3 | Isack Hadjar | 15 points |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | 12 points |
| 5 | Kimi Antonelli | 10 points |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | — |
| 7 | Arvid Lindblad | — |
| 8 | Esteban Ocon | — |
| 9 | Ollie Bearman | — |
| 10 | Carlos Sainz | — |
| 11 | Nico Hulkenberg | — |
| 12 | Liam Lawson | — |
| 13 | Gabriel Bortoleto | — |
| 14 | Oscar Piastri | — |
| 15 | Sergio Perez | — |
| 16 | Valtteri Bottas | — |
Six drivers failed to finish the F1 race, including Lando Norris, Alex Albon, Franco Colapinto, Pierre Gasly, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.
Verstappen pushes Russell to the limit
The battle between Russell and Verstappen provided the highlight of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Following the final Safety Car restart, Verstappen remained within striking distance of the Mercedes. He repeatedly pressured Russell and was close enough to challenge for the lead on the final lap.
Verstappen pulled alongside Russell on the start-finish straight, but Russell managed to stay ahead and crossed the line only 0.196 seconds before his Red Bull rival.
Russell later explained that a loss of power after a yellow-flag situation made the final moments even more difficult.
Isack Hadjar completes Red Bull double podium
Isack Hadjar finished third to give Red Bull two drivers on the podium.
Hadjar spent much of the race battling Oscar Piastri and the second Red Bull of Verstappen. His strong performance helped him secure another important result in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari, while Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli recovered strongly to take fifth.
Antonelli had started from 16th after crashing at Turn 1 during qualifying. His recovery to fifth was one of the standout drives of the weekend.
Lewis Hamilton finishes sixth
Lewis Hamilton finished sixth for Ferrari after running in the battle around the top six for much of the race.
Hamilton initially battled with Lando Norris before moving ahead as the McLaren driver struggled. The result gave Hamilton another points finish in a chaotic Azerbaijan race.
Arvid Lindblad finished seventh, ahead of Esteban Ocon, Ollie Bearman and Carlos Sainz.
The result was also significant for Haas, with Bearman and Sainz both finishing inside the top 10 and giving the team its first double points finish since the Monaco Grand Prix.
Lando Norris among six Azerbaijan GP retirements
The Azerbaijan GP 2026 was heavily affected by incidents.
Alex Albon crashed after locking up and hitting the barrier at Turn 6, bringing out the first Safety Car.
Later, Franco Colapinto locked up at Turn 1 and made contact with his Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly. The incident also involved Lando Norris, with all three drivers eventually retiring.
Oscar Piastri was another major casualty. The McLaren driver had spent much of the race running near the front but locked up at Turn 1 after the final restart and dropped down the order.
Valtteri Bottas also crashed late in the race, becoming the final retirement.
Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll both failed to finish because of separate Aston Martin mechanical problems.
Baku once again delivers a chaotic F1 race
The Baku City Circuit proved difficult throughout the weekend. The combination of narrow sections, heavy braking zones and long straights created plenty of opportunities for mistakes.
Even championship leader Kimi Antonelli struggled, crashing during qualifying and starting the race from 16th. However, he recovered to fifth by the chequered flag.
Russell also had a moment during the race when he brushed the wall at Turn 15 while leading comfortably.
The Safety Cars ultimately played a major role in turning what had looked like a controlled Mercedes victory into a tense final-lap battle.
F1 standings and championship picture
The Azerbaijan result has an important impact on the F1 standings, particularly at the top of the championship.
Russell collected 25 points for victory, while Verstappen earned 18 points for second. Hadjar added 15 points with his podium finish, while Leclerc and Antonelli scored 12 and 10 respectively.
The championship standings remain one of the major storylines as Formula 1 heads into the next race of the season.
Who was F1 Driver of the Day?
The F1 Driver of the Day is a fan-voted award that recognizes a standout performance from a driver during a Grand Prix.
In Baku, several drivers produced notable performances. Russell delivered a pole-to-win performance under intense late pressure, while Antonelli’s recovery from 16th to fifth was particularly impressive.
The driver of the day F1 discussion is therefore likely to focus on the race winner as well as drivers who made significant progress through the field.
What happened in the F1 race today?
If you were searching for the F1 race today, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix delivered plenty of action.
George Russell won the race in Baku, with Max Verstappen finishing second and Isack Hadjar third. Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli completed the top five.
The race included multiple Safety Car periods, several crashes and a dramatic final-lap fight for victory.
What’s next for Formula 1?
Following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Formula 1 moves on to the next event of the triple-header, with the championship heading to Malaysia for the Bahrain Grand Prix from October 2-4.
The Azerbaijan race has added another major chapter to the 2026 F1 season, with Russell strengthening his position after another victory and Verstappen continuing to chase his first win of the campaign.
For fans following the F1 standings, F1 results, race schedule and driver performances, the championship battle will continue when Formula 1 returns to action.
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