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Verstappen Denies Russell Clean Sweep in Azerbaijan GP Final Practice

Posted : 25 September 2026

Max Verstappen stopped George Russell from completing a clean sweep of practice sessions at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix by setting the fastest time in Friday’s final practice in Baku.

The Red Bull driver produced his best lap late in the session to finish just 0.099 seconds ahead of Russell. Verstappen’s 1:43.922 was enough to move him to the top of the timesheets after Russell had led both practice sessions on Thursday.

Russell had looked set to maintain Mercedes’ advantage, but both Mercedes drivers had returned to the garage before the final improvements. Lewis Hamilton moved into third, 0.111 seconds behind Verstappen, while Kimi Antonelli finished fourth at 0.252 seconds from his teammate.

Antonelli had limited running during Thursday’s sessions because of technical problems, making his fourth-place finish a positive recovery. Mercedes had previously shown strong pace around the Baku City Circuit, with Russell leading FP1 and FP2.

Charles Leclerc was fifth for Ferrari, 0.622 seconds off the pace. The Monaco driver, who has previously enjoyed strong performances in Baku, also had a late trip into an escape road as drivers struggled with the challenging street circuit.

Pierre Gasly was sixth, followed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. McLaren continued to appear less competitive than Mercedes and Red Bull, with the team facing difficulties in Baku’s slow corners and long straights. Piastri also reported a lack of confidence through the opening corner during the session.

Verstappen’s late lap has added another dimension to the qualifying battle. Mercedes had appeared to hold the early advantage, but Red Bull’s pace and the importance of slipstreaming on Baku’s long straight could make the fight for pole position closely contested. Qualifying is scheduled for Friday afternoon.

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