George Russell Takes Dominant Azerbaijan GP Pole as Antonelli Crashes Out

Posted : 25 September 2026

George Russell secured a commanding pole position for Mercedes at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while championship leader and teammate Kimi Antonelli endured a costly crash in qualifying.

Russell produced a stunning final lap to record a time of 1:42.526 and finish 0.837 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The gap represented the biggest qualifying margin of the 2026 season, with Russell claiming his fifth pole of the campaign and first since the Austrian Grand Prix in June.

Oscar Piastri qualified third for McLaren, just 0.001 seconds behind Leclerc, while Red Bull’s returning Isack Hadjar impressed in fourth. Lando Norris completed the top five, followed by Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Max Verstappen.

Verstappen had appeared capable of challenging for a front-row position, but his final attempt was compromised by yellow flags after Norris ran off the circuit. The Red Bull driver ultimately qualified eighth, behind Gasly and Hamilton.

Russell’s performance capped a strong weekend in Baku for Mercedes. He had already topped the opening two practice sessions, while Antonelli’s preparation had been disrupted by a hydraulic problem that severely limited his running on Thursday.

Antonelli’s qualifying session ended during Q1 after he hit the inside wall at Turn 1 on his second flying lap. The impact damaged the front-left suspension, and although he initially attempted to return to the pits, Mercedes instructed him to stop because the damage could not be repaired in time. He will start Saturday’s race from 16th.

The incident was particularly significant because Antonelli arrived in Baku leading Russell by 81 points in the championship. The Italian acknowledged that the crash was his mistake, while Russell now has pole position and an opportunity to reduce the deficit in the title battle.

Carlos Sainz also produced a notable result by taking ninth for Williams, giving the team its first Q3 appearance of the season. Franco Colapinto completed the top 10 for Alpine.

Russell said the lap felt particularly strong and described the 0.837-second advantage as the biggest qualifying margin of his career. Mercedes will now look to convert that pace into victory in Saturday’s race around the demanding Baku street circuit.

George Russell Takes Dominant Azerbaijan GP Pole as Antonelli Crashes Out

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