Russell pips Verstappen by 0.196 seconds to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
George Russell survived two safety cars to win in Baku, while title leader Kimi Antonelli fought from 16th to fifth and still leads by 66 points.
By John Christian Mmaduabuchi, Chief Editor
· · Video
The gist in 30 seconds
- Russell beat Verstappen by 0.196s in Baku; Isack Hadjar completed the podium
- Leader Antonelli recovered from 16th to fifth and now leads Russell by 66 points
- Next: the Bahrain Grand Prix, staged in Malaysia this year, on 2-4 October
George Russell won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday 26 September by the narrowest of margins, holding off a charging Max Verstappen by just 0.196 seconds on the Baku street circuit.
It looked like a comfortable afternoon for the Mercedes driver until two safety car periods bunched the field up and turned the final laps into a scrap. Verstappen, who started eighth, crossed the line almost side by side with him. It was Russell’s eighth career win, his third of the season and his first since the Austrian Grand Prix in June.
“It’s amazing to be back on the top step of the podium,” Russell said afterwards.
How the rest finished
- 3rd: Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), on his return after missing three races with a wrist injury
- 4th: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- 5th: Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- 6th: Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- 7th to 10th: Arvid Lindblad, Esteban Ocon, Oliver Bearman and Carlos Sainz
The title picture
Antonelli, the 20-year-old Italian who leads the championship, had a weekend to forget and then rescued it. A rare mistake saw him crash in Friday qualifying, leaving him 16th on the grid, but he fought through to fifth. Russell’s win still cut his Mercedes teammate’s lead by 15 points. After 15 of 23 rounds, the official standings show Antonelli on 302 points, Russell on 236 and Hamilton on 199.
Hadjar also had a good week away from the track: Red Bull handed him a contract extension days before the race, Al Jazeera reported. A podium on his comeback was the perfect way to repay the faith.
With eight rounds left, Antonelli remains the clear favourite, but Russell’s form since the summer break means the Mercedes garage now has a proper intra-team fight on its hands.
What next: Round 16 is the Bahrain Grand Prix, which is being held in Malaysia this year, on 2-4 October, followed by Singapore on 9-11 October.
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John Christian Mmaduabuchi is a Nigerian filmmaker, creative director, and media professional with extensive experience in digital storytelling, visual journalism, and contemporary media. His Journalism interests span Nigerian and African current affairs, entertainment, culture, technology, lifestyle, media, and the people shaping public conversation. With a background in film direction and documentary production, he brings a strong visual and narrative perspective to editorial work, with particular attention to context, clarity, and compelling storytelling. John is also a creative entrepreneur focused on storytelling, entertainment, culture, and digital content. His professional experience across directing, cinematography, editing, media strategy, and emerging AI technologies gives him a broad understanding of how stories are created, distributed, and consumed in the digital age. At GistMatrix, John contributes to the development and presentation of timely, engaging, and relevant stories for a contemporary audience. His approach to editorial work is grounded in accuracy, context, responsible storytelling, and a commitment to covering stories that matter.
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