Reporting note: this article draws on Sky Sports; Score808 Live provides the summary and editorial framing.
Mercedes Controls the Timesheets in Baku
George Russell completed a clean sweep of Thursday practice at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, posting the fastest time in both sessions around the high-speed Baku City Circuit. Russell consolidated his pace from the morning running by establishing a 0.552-second cushion over team-mate Kimi Antonelli in the second 60-minute session.
Antonelli, who enters the weekend holding an 81-point lead over Russell in the 2026 Drivers' Championship standings, faced an interrupted program. A hydraulic leak halted the Italian's car midway through Practice One, necessitating a complete power unit change between sessions. Antonelli returned to the track with roughly 30 minutes remaining in Practice Two, executing a rapid recovery program to secure second place on the timing screens.
Chasing Pack Left Over Half a Second Adrift
Behind the Mercedes duo, the remainder of the field struggled to match the front-running aerodynamic efficiency along Baku’s 2.2-kilometer main straight and mechanical compliance through the 90-degree street corners:
- Red Bull Racing: Max Verstappen placed third in an upgraded Red Bull, finishing 0.8 seconds off Russell's benchmark.
- Ferrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton took fourth and fifth, both falling over one second behind the leading pace.
- McLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri completed the session in sixth and eighth positions respectively.
The session was interrupted by a red flag after Arvid Lindblad made contact with the barriers in Baku's tight castle section, requiring recovery marshals to clear debris from the narrowest corridor on the Formula 1 calendar.
What Comes Next
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix opens a consecutive triple-header on the 2026 calendar with a revised weekend schedule. Final practice and Qualifying are scheduled for Friday, leading directly into the Grand Prix on Saturday at midday.
