George Russell secured a crucial victory in the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, holding off a late charge from Max Verstappen to take the chequered flag just ahead of the Red Bull.
The Mercedes driver controlled much of the race around the Baku City Circuit, but the closing stages turned the race into a dramatic fight for victory. Two Safety Car periods brought the field back together and allowed Verstappen to close the gap to the race leader.
Russell handled both restarts perfectly and managed to keep Verstappen behind during the final laps. The Briton claimed his third victory of the 2026 season and the eighth Grand Prix win of his Formula 1 career.
The result represents an important boost for Mercedes during a challenging season for Russell.
Verstappen finishes second, Hadjar completes the podium
Max Verstappen had to settle for second after applying intense pressure to Russell during the closing stages.
The Red Bull driver remained within striking distance until the final metres, but Russell never gave him a realistic opportunity to complete the overtaking move.
Isack Hadjar finished third, producing another strong performance after returning from a wrist injury that had kept him out of the previous three races.
Hadjar was unable to challenge the leading duo for victory, but maintained a strong pace throughout the race and secured another podium finish.
Leclerc fourth as Antonelli recovers to fifth
Ferrari did not have the pace required to fight for the podium.
Charles Leclerc finished fourth, losing one position compared with his starting position after failing to match the pace of the leading drivers.
Behind him, Andrea Kimi Antonelli produced an impressive recovery drive.
The Mercedes driver had started from 16th on the grid following his qualifying crash, but moved steadily through the field during the race.
Antonelli eventually finished fifth, limiting the damage in the championship battle. The Italian remains at the top of the standings with an advantage of 66 points over Russell, with eight Grands Prix still remaining on the calendar.
Hamilton sixth as Lindblad scores seventh
Lewis Hamilton finished sixth to give Ferrari another solid points finish.
The seven-time world champion crossed the line ahead of rookie Arvid Lindblad, who secured seventh place after another encouraging performance.
Esteban Ocon finished eighth, followed by his Haas teammate Ollie Bearman.
The final point went to Carlos Sainz, who recovered from his five-place grid penalty to finish tenth.
The Williams driver benefited from the team’s latest package of upgrades and secured an important championship point.
Only 15 cars reached the chequered flag, with several incidents and two Safety Car periods playing a decisive role in shaping the outcome of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Russell ultimately held his nerve under pressure to secure a dramatic victory, while Verstappen had to settle for second and Hadjar completed the podium.
Azerbaijan GP 2026 – Race results
- George Russell – Mercedes
- Max Verstappen – Red Bull
- Isack Hadjar – Red Bull
- Charles Leclerc – Ferrari
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes
- Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari
- Arvid Lindblad
- Esteban Ocon – Haas
- Ollie Bearman – Haas
- Carlos Sainz – Williams