Mercedes F1’s George Russell tops FP2 and dominates the first day of running at the 2026 F1 Azerbaijan GP, full report below.
Russell topped the first practice session of the weekend, while his teammate Kimi Antonelli saw his session cut short by a hydraulic issue. Several drivers across different teams reported brake issues throughout the session, with Carlos Sainz’s brakes catching fire in the pit lane. However, as the sun began to set over Baku, cars returned to the track for FP2 at the 2026 F1 Azerbaijan GP.
Green light for FP2
Mercedes fitted a new engine to the back of Antonelli’s car after he suffered a hydraulic issue in FP1. As the session got underway, Franco Colapinto became the first driver to venture into the run-off area, but managed to reverse out and continue.
Pierre Gasly was the first driver to set a benchmark, crossing the line with a 1:48.353. To start the session, most drivers and teams opted for a set of medium or hard tyres. However, after topping FP1, Russell returned to the top with a 1:46.300.
On a set of hard tyres, Lando Norris slotted into second with a 1:46.448, while Max Verstappen shot to the top with a 1:45.933. Having brought a significant upgrade package to Baku, flow-vis paint was seen on Oscar Piastri’s McLaren. Meanwhile, Arvid Lindblad remained in the pits as Racing Bulls mechanics worked to fix the pedals on his car.
Putting together a strong lap on the hard tyres, Norris moved to the top with a 1:45.148 before Russell eclipsed the reigning World Champion with a 1:44.537.
Red flag for Lindblad in the wall
Lindblad clipped the wall twice at Turn 8 in the castle section, bringing out the red flags and leaving his car with significant damage to the chassis and suspension. Once the session resumed, the field quickly emerged from the pit lane.
As Ollie Bearman left the pit lane, the Haas driver pulled off into the run-off area after his engine gave out. With 27 minutes remaining, most drivers switched to soft tyres for their qualifying simulations. As drivers laid down their times on the soft tyres, Russell catapulted to the top with a 1:43.759, seven tenths ahead of Charles Leclerc in second.
As it stood, Russell, Verstappen, Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Antonelli completed the top five. However, Norris looked competitive on a flying lap but backed out before returning to the pits. In the pits, Ferrari made changes to the suspension of Leclerc’s car ahead of the final runs of the session.
In the closing stages of the session, both Mercedes cars fitted on a set of medium tyres. However, as the chequered flag fell, Russell and Antonelli locked out the top of the timings as Verstappen rounded out the top three.
