Russell wins Azerbaijan Grand Prix after late fight with Verstappen

George Russell took victory for Mercedes in the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, held in Baku as Azerbaijan marked 10 years on the Formula 1 calendar. Max Verstappen finished second and Isack Hadjar completed the podium in third.

The race was shaped by two Safety Car deployments, which set up a tense battle for the lead in the closing stages. Russell narrowly stayed ahead of Verstappen in a run to the line to secure the win.

The result was Russell’s third victory of the season and reduced the gap in the Drivers’ Championship to 66 points. It also cut the advantage of his team mate, Kimi Antonelli, at the top of the standings after Antonelli was unable to repeat his Monza charge from the back of the grid.