2026 Azerbaijan GP: Russell leads reported Mercedes pace

Reports from Baku said George Russell led two practice sessions for Mercedes ahead of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, before Max Verstappen headed final practice.

Reports from Baku placed Mercedes at the front of early Azerbaijan Grand Prix running. Autosport reported that George Russell set the pace in first practice ahead of Max Verstappen, then finished Thursday fastest again in FP2 from Mercedes team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli arrived in Azerbaijan leading the 2026 drivers' championship on 302 points, with Russell second on 236.

Motorsport.com also reported Russell and Antonelli ran one-two in Thursday practice, but added that Mercedes’ advantage might not reflect the full order. The same outlet said the team was due to bring an upgrade in Baku. Autosport reported Antonelli hit trouble in FP1, while Russell, a seven-time Formula 1 race winner from 161 starts, still ended both sessions on top.

By the next session, the order had shifted again. RaceFans reported that Verstappen led final practice, denying Russell a sweep of all three sessions. With the story still unconfirmed, the Baku picture remains an emerging one rather than a settled result.