Russell Takes Baku Pole by 0.837s as Antonelli Crashes Out

George Russell delivered one of the most dominant qualifying laps of the season to take pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Friday, 25 September. The Mercedes driver improved on every run in Q3 and finished with a 1:42.526, a massive 0.837 seconds clear of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari. It was his fifth pole of 2026 and, by Formula 1’s account, the biggest pole margin of the season.

The session was just as significant for what happened to his team mate. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli crashed out in Q1 after hitting the Turn 1 barriers, leaving him with a long recovery ahead in the race. With Antonelli 81 points ahead of Russell before the weekend, the Mercedes driver had a clear chance to close the gap.

The top ten in qualifying

• 1. George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:42.526
• 2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:43.363
• 3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1:43.364
• 4. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) – 1:43.500
• 5. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:43.672
• 6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 1:43.858
• 7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 1:44.047
• 8. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 1:44.081
• 9. Carlos Sainz (Williams), later given a five-place grid penalty
• 10. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

Leclerc and Piastri were separated by just 0.001 seconds, underlining how tight the fight behind Russell was. Hadjar, back in the Red Bull after a wrist injury, qualified fourth on his return, while Norris completed the top five.

A ‘perfect lap’ for Russell

Russell was delighted with his final effort. “It’s probably the biggest margin of my whole career, even including F2, F3 days, so the lap felt really sweet,” he said. He credited the car’s balance throughout the weekend: “The car’s been feeling great this weekend, and on a track like this, when you can hook it up like that, it feels really amazing.” He also acknowledged that he had benefited from a slipstream down the long straight.

The pole capped a strong weekend for Russell, who topped the second practice session ahead of Antonelli and Verstappen. Verstappen had been quickest in final practice, ahead of Russell and Hamilton, suggesting Red Bull would be a threat. Russell himself said: “I think Max has been very fast this weekend. I don’t know what happened to him at the end.”

Antonelli’s shock exit and Verstappen’s problems

Antonelli’s crash was the major surprise of the session. Formula 1 reports that he clouted his Mercedes’ left-front wheel against the Turn 1 barriers in Q1, causing suspension damage that prevented him from continuing. After grid penalties to other drivers were applied, he was set to start 16th.

Verstappen’s eighth place also hid a bigger story. He was struggling with an internal combustion engine problem that worsened through the session, and a late yellow flag triggered by Norris prevented him from completing a final attempt. The issue would lead to an engine change before the race, although Red Bull used parts within his allocation and avoided an immediate grid penalty.

• Russell took his fifth pole of 2026 by 0.837 seconds.
• Leclerc beat Piastri to second by one thousandth of a second.
• Antonelli crashed at Turn 1 in Q1 and was set to start 16th.
• Verstappen qualified eighth with an engine problem and was blocked from a final lap by yellow flags.
• Sainz, Perez and both Aston Martins received grid penalties.

Grid penalties reshape the order

Several drivers were moved back on the official grid. Carlos Sainz, who qualified ninth, received a five-place penalty for ignoring yellow flags and dropped to 14th. Sergio Perez was given a three-place penalty for impeding Piastri, though he started 20th once other penalties were applied. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were both sent towards the back after Aston Martin fitted new power-unit components. Colapinto and Oliver Bearman moved up to complete the top ten.

What it set up for race day

With Russell on pole and Antonelli deep in the pack, the race offered the Mercedes challenger his best chance in weeks to take a large bite out of the championship lead. Baku’s long straight and tight walls also meant that the race would likely feature Safety Cars and opportunities for drivers further back.

Russell’s margin suggested that Mercedes had found an excellent set-up for the street circuit, and that if he could get through the first corner cleanly, he would be difficult to beat. For Ferrari, Leclerc’s second place was a positive result, although he admitted to mixed feelings about the session. McLaren had both cars in the top five and hoped to challenge. Red Bull’s strength in practice made Verstappen a threat despite starting eighth.

Why the margin was so large

Pole margins of nearly a second are rare in modern Formula 1, especially at a circuit where the field usually runs close together. Russell’s advantage came from several factors: a car that was balanced for the circuit, a well-timed tow down the long straight and a lap in which everything came together. Leclerc’s 1:43.363 would have been a strong lap on many days, but Russell simply found more speed in every sector.

The 2026 regulations also make qualifying laps more complex. Drivers must manage battery energy over a lap, deciding where to deploy and where to harvest. A driver who optimises that process can gain significant time, particularly on long straights. Russell’s comments about hooking the lap up suggest he got both the driving and the energy management right.

For Mercedes, the performance confirmed the car’s strength on street circuits and fast layouts. The team leads the Teams’ Championship and has won most of the season’s races. Russell’s pole gave it an excellent chance to extend that advantage, even with Antonelli starting far back.

Ferrari, McLaren and the chasing pack

Leclerc’s second place was a good result for Ferrari, but the gap to Russell showed the scale of the challenge. Piastri and Norris both reached the top five for McLaren, while Hadjar split them on his return. Hamilton’s sixth place left Ferrari with both cars in the top six, and Gasly’s seventh gave Alpine a strong starting position before the race turned against the team.

Further back, the grid penalties meant several drivers would need recovery drives. Sainz’s penalty dropped him out of the top ten, while Perez and the Aston Martins started near the back. Baku’s history of incidents and Safety Cars meant those drivers could still hope for points, but they had work to do.

For fans in Malaysia following the session live, qualifying set up a compelling race and an important moment in the title fight. With the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia at Sepang next on the calendar, the Baku result would shape the storylines heading to Sepang, and Russell had given himself the best possible starting point.