George Russell converted pole position into victory at the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, the eighth win of his Formula 1 career and his third of the season. He led every restart of a race broken up by repeated safety car periods, finishing ahead of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar. Team-mate Kimi Antonelli recovered from 16th on the grid to fifth after being knocked out in Q1 in qualifying.
George Russell won the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix from pole position, taking the eighth victory of his Formula 1 career and his third of the season. Mercedes scored with both cars: Kimi Antonelli climbed from 16th on the grid to fifth.
Pole position converted without a stumble
Russell held the lead at the start and stayed in control of a race that was interrupted several times. The first neutralisation came in the early laps after an incident involving Alex Albon at Turn 1, and the safety car periods that followed produced a series of restarts and strategy calls through the field.
Russell managed each restart, kept his position and maintained his pace at the front, crossing the line ahead of Verstappen and Hadjar.
“It was an incredible weekend and probably one of the strongest of my career so far. I really enjoyed the race, and the final stint was one of the nicest moments I have ever experienced in a Formula 1 race. We had strong pace throughout and were able to build a good gap. When the safety car came out it was a little frustrating, but that can always happen at a track like Baku,” Russell said.
He described the restart as the most stressful moment of the afternoon, with Verstappen directly behind him, and said both drivers pushed hard in the final stint.
Antonelli’s recovery from 16th
Antonelli started 16th after being eliminated in Q1 in qualifying. He used the interruptions and an alternative strategy to move forward, combining race pace with what the team describes as a series of decisive overtakes to finish inside the top five.
By his own account, the priority was limiting the damage rather than taking risks. “It was one of those weekends where not everything goes to plan. My pace wasn’t quite right today, but given our starting position I have to be satisfied with fifth,” he said, adding that progress was difficult at times because he was caught in a train of cars.
The team’s view
Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin called Russell’s weekend error-free, noting that he set the pace from the first practice session onwards and handled the safety car periods and restarts with Verstappen close behind in the final stint — something he said is easier said than done in Baku.
On Antonelli, Shovlin said the limited running across the weekend made the race a different challenge, and that the important thing was that the Italian did not treat it as “Monza part two” and try to force the issue, instead driving his own race and working back to fifth.
What it means
For Mercedes, the result is a strong opening to a triple-header, with points from both cars and, according to the team, a solid platform for the rounds that follow. The next event is in Malaysia, which the team highlights as a special weekend because of its title partnership with PETRONAS.
Facts: 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Mercedes
- Winner: George Russell (Mercedes), from pole position
- Russell’s eighth Formula 1 win and third of the 2026 season
- Top three: Russell ahead of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar
- Kimi Antonelli: 16th on the grid to fifth at the flag, after a Q1 exit in qualifying
- Race neutralised by several safety car periods, the first following an incident involving Alex Albon at Turn 1
- Next round: Malaysia, as part of a triple-header
The Formula 1 season continues next week in Malaysia.
Source: media.mercedes-benz.com