George Russell takes Azerbaijan GP pole in Baku qualifying
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25 Sept 2026George Russell takes Azerbaijan GP pole in Baku qualifying
George Russell claimed pole position for the 2026 Azerbaijan GP after a tidy qualifying session in Baku. The Mercedes driver set 1:42.526 to head the grid for Round 15 of Formula 1 2026. Charles Leclerc starts second for Ferrari, with Oscar Piastri third for McLaren. It follows a Friday where Russell topped both Practice 1 and Practice 2, while Max Verstappen led Practice 3 before qualifying eighth.
Mercedes and Russell set the pace in Baku
George Russell put Mercedes on pole at Baku City Circuit with a 1:42.526. The lap capped a strong day after he led both Practice 1 and Practice 2. It reinforces the W17’s one lap sharpness with the Mercedes-AMG F1 M17 power unit. The gap was clear too, with Charles Leclerc second at +0.837. Oscar Piastri slotted in third, only one thousandth further back.
Russell looked tidy through the castle section and composed on the kilometre-long straight. Consistency across the lap paid off on Baku’s stop start layout. You can dive into his profile and season form on Sofascore’s George Russell page. It is an easy way to check times, session history, and the full starting grid.
Ferrari and McLaren stack the front rows
Leclerc’s 1:43.363 put Ferrari on the front row and kept the SF-26 in the fight. Team mate Lewis Hamilton will start sixth after a 1:43.858. The spread suggests Ferrari has solid one lap speed and will eye race day stability through the middle sector. McLaren split them with both cars in the top five. Piastri was third on 1:43.364, a whisker off Leclerc’s time.
Lando Norris lined up fifth with 1:43.672 and looked confident on the brakes. With a long run to Turn 1, both orange cars are well placed to draft. Expect McLaren to work the tow on the opening lap if the launch allows. The slipstream train in Baku rewards teamwork, clean exits, and battery timing.
Red Bull’s swing: Hadjar shines, Verstappen P8
Red Bull had a split story in qualifying. Rookie Isack Hadjar delivered a sharp 1:43.500 for fourth on the grid in the RB22. Max Verstappen topped Practice 3 but ended up eighth on 1:44.081. The margin to pole was +1.555, which underlines how fine the window was. His final run did not match the best of Q3 despite the earlier pace.
Race pace around Baku often looks different once DRS trains settle. With the RB22 and the Red Bull Ford DM01 power unit, both cars should be lively on the straight. Racing Bulls sit a little further back, with Liam Lawson 12th and Arvid Lindblad 15th. Both will aim to use the long main straight to make early gains once the lights go out.
Midfield shuffle defines a tight grid
The midfield is stacked. Pierre Gasly gave Alpine seventh with 1:44.047, and Franco Colapinto added 10th on 1:44.963. Williams mixed it well too, as Carlos Sainz Jr. posted 1:44.566 for ninth and Alexander Albon took 13th on 1:45.001. Haas sit on the cusp of points with Oliver Bearman 11th at 1:44.775 and Esteban Ocon 14th at 1:45.016. Behind them, Andrea Kimi Antonelli will start 16th in the second Mercedes after a 1:45.504.
Audi’s pair places Gabriel Bortoleto 17th and Nico Hulkenberg 18th. Aston Martin had a tricky hour, with Fernando Alonso 19th and Lance Stroll 21st. Cadillac’s Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will line up 20th and 22nd to complete the field. The spread from fourth to 14th is 1.516 seconds on the clock, which hints at chances for undercuts and bold calls. Clean exits from the final corner and a well timed tow could swing places quickly on Sunday.
Grand Prix outlook: strategy and places to pass
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix covers 51 laps of the 6.003 km Baku City Circuit for a total of 306.049 km. The run from the grid to Turn 1 is long, and the braking zone is one of the best overtaking spots. Turn 3 is another common move if drivers manage battery and traction out of Turn 2. Track position and cool heads usually matter with tight walls and long straights. Tyre warm up and the tow will shape early stints as cars settle into DRS trains.
For the full weekend order, live timing, and session breakdowns, follow the Azerbaijan GP page on Sofascore. You can also open George Russell’s driver page to explore his season form and career record. With Russell on pole, Leclerc alongside, and Piastri right there, the launch sequence will be worth a close look. The grid is set, and Baku tends to reward the patient and the precise.
The latest stories
Italy-Belgium 0-2, False Start for Mancini: Godts and Lukebakio Stun the Olimpico
25 Sept 2026Türkiye 0-1 France: Mbappé scores, Güler shines in a tight Nations League opener
25 Sept 2026Belgium 2-0 Italy: Lammens shines in Rome
25 Sept 2026U20 Women’s World Cup Team of the Week: Semifinals standouts
25 Sept 2026Brazil held to disappointing draw by Australia after World Cup
25 Sept 2026
George Russell claimed pole position for the 2026 Azerbaijan GP after a tidy qualifying session in Baku. The Mercedes driver set 1:42.526 to head the grid for Round 15 of Formula 1 2026. Charles Leclerc starts second for Ferrari, with Oscar Piastri third for McLaren. It follows a Friday where Russell topped both Practice 1 and Practice 2, while Max Verstappen led Practice 3 before qualifying eighth.
Mercedes and Russell set the pace in Baku
George Russell put Mercedes on pole at Baku City Circuit with a 1:42.526. The lap capped a strong day after he led both Practice 1 and Practice 2. It reinforces the W17’s one lap sharpness with the Mercedes-AMG F1 M17 power unit. The gap was clear too, with Charles Leclerc second at +0.837. Oscar Piastri slotted in third, only one thousandth further back.
Russell looked tidy through the castle section and composed on the kilometre-long straight. Consistency across the lap paid off on Baku’s stop start layout. You can dive into his profile and season form on Sofascore’s George Russell page. It is an easy way to check times, session history, and the full starting grid.
Ferrari and McLaren stack the front rows
Leclerc’s 1:43.363 put Ferrari on the front row and kept the SF-26 in the fight. Team mate Lewis Hamilton will start sixth after a 1:43.858. The spread suggests Ferrari has solid one lap speed and will eye race day stability through the middle sector. McLaren split them with both cars in the top five. Piastri was third on 1:43.364, a whisker off Leclerc’s time.
Lando Norris lined up fifth with 1:43.672 and looked confident on the brakes. With a long run to Turn 1, both orange cars are well placed to draft. Expect McLaren to work the tow on the opening lap if the launch allows. The slipstream train in Baku rewards teamwork, clean exits, and battery timing.
Red Bull’s swing: Hadjar shines, Verstappen P8
Red Bull had a split story in qualifying. Rookie Isack Hadjar delivered a sharp 1:43.500 for fourth on the grid in the RB22. Max Verstappen topped Practice 3 but ended up eighth on 1:44.081. The margin to pole was +1.555, which underlines how fine the window was. His final run did not match the best of Q3 despite the earlier pace.
Race pace around Baku often looks different once DRS trains settle. With the RB22 and the Red Bull Ford DM01 power unit, both cars should be lively on the straight. Racing Bulls sit a little further back, with Liam Lawson 12th and Arvid Lindblad 15th. Both will aim to use the long main straight to make early gains once the lights go out.
Midfield shuffle defines a tight grid
The midfield is stacked. Pierre Gasly gave Alpine seventh with 1:44.047, and Franco Colapinto added 10th on 1:44.963. Williams mixed it well too, as Carlos Sainz Jr. posted 1:44.566 for ninth and Alexander Albon took 13th on 1:45.001. Haas sit on the cusp of points with Oliver Bearman 11th at 1:44.775 and Esteban Ocon 14th at 1:45.016. Behind them, Andrea Kimi Antonelli will start 16th in the second Mercedes after a 1:45.504.
Audi’s pair places Gabriel Bortoleto 17th and Nico Hulkenberg 18th. Aston Martin had a tricky hour, with Fernando Alonso 19th and Lance Stroll 21st. Cadillac’s Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will line up 20th and 22nd to complete the field. The spread from fourth to 14th is 1.516 seconds on the clock, which hints at chances for undercuts and bold calls. Clean exits from the final corner and a well timed tow could swing places quickly on Sunday.
Grand Prix outlook: strategy and places to pass
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix covers 51 laps of the 6.003 km Baku City Circuit for a total of 306.049 km. The run from the grid to Turn 1 is long, and the braking zone is one of the best overtaking spots. Turn 3 is another common move if drivers manage battery and traction out of Turn 2. Track position and cool heads usually matter with tight walls and long straights. Tyre warm up and the tow will shape early stints as cars settle into DRS trains.
For the full weekend order, live timing, and session breakdowns, follow the Azerbaijan GP page on Sofascore. You can also open George Russell’s driver page to explore his season form and career record. With Russell on pole, Leclerc alongside, and Piastri right there, the launch sequence will be worth a close look. The grid is set, and Baku tends to reward the patient and the precise.