Russell Snatches Baku Pole as Antonelli Crashes Out to P16

George Russell has handed Mercedes the perfect launchpad for tonight's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, taking pole position on the Baku street circuit by a huge margin. His team-mate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli, however, will start down in 16th after a costly brush with the wall in Q1.

For Malaysian fans, the timing matters: the Baku race is the last stop before Formula 1 arrives at Sepang International Circuit next weekend for the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.

Russell in a class of his own

Russell's best lap of 1:42.526 was 0.837 seconds faster than Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, an enormous gap by modern F1 standards. According to Formula1.com, it was his fifth pole of the 2026 season.

"The lap felt really sweet," Russell said after the session, adding that the car had been "feeling great" all weekend.

Behind him, the order was tight. Oscar Piastri was just 0.001s behind Leclerc in third, while Isack Hadjar put his Red Bull fourth on his return from a wrist injury that kept him out of the previous three races.

Top 10 in qualifying

1. George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:42.526
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.837s
3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.838s
4. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) – +0.974s
5. Lando Norris (McLaren) – +1.146s
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
8. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
9. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
10. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

Alpine got both cars into Q3, while Verstappen's eighth place was put down in reports to engine trouble and yellow flags.

Antonelli's Turn 1 moment

The big story behind the front row was Antonelli. The Italian clipped the barrier at Turn 1 during Q1, damaging the front-left of his Mercedes. He had already done enough to progress, but the damage meant he could not improve and was classified 16th.

According to The Race, Antonelli explained that "the car turned more and I clipped the wall", with a gusting headwind at Turn 1 blamed for the extra front-end grip.

Other notable names eliminated early included both Audi cars in Q1, plus Oliver Bearman, Liam Lawson, Alex Albon, Esteban Ocon and rookie Arvid Lindblad in Q2.

Grid penalties shuffle the back

Both Aston Martin drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, took grid penalties for new power-unit components and will start from the back. That moved the Cadillac pair of Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas up to 19th and 20th.

Race-day preview: why tonight is unusual

Tonight's race is a rare Saturday Grand Prix. It was moved from Sunday because 27 September is Azerbaijan's Remembrance Day. Lights out is 3pm in Baku, which is 7pm in Malaysia.

What to watch:

• Russell's start: a clean getaway from pole on Baku's long run to Turn 1 is his best chance to cut into Antonelli's lead.
• Antonelli's recovery: Baku's long straights make overtaking possible, but starting 16th leaves him a lot of traffic to clear.
• Safety cars: Baku is a tight street circuit with walls close to the track, so crashes and neutralisations can quickly change a race.
• Hadjar and Piastri: both start in the top four and could take advantage if the leaders make mistakes.

Whatever happens tonight, the result goes straight into the standings that teams take to Sepang next weekend.

Key takeaways

• Russell took pole in Baku by 0.837s, his fifth pole of 2026.
• Championship leader Antonelli crashed at Turn 1 in Q1 and starts 16th.
• Hadjar qualified fourth on his return from a wrist injury.
• Alonso and Stroll start at the back after power-unit penalties.
• The race starts tonight, Saturday 26 September, at 7pm Malaysian time.

FAQ

What time is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Malaysia? Tonight, Saturday 26 September, at 7pm Malaysian time (3pm in Baku).

Why is the Baku race on a Saturday? It was moved to avoid a clash with Azerbaijan's Remembrance Day on Sunday 27 September.

Where does Antonelli start? 16th, after damaging his car against the Turn 1 barrier in Q1.

Sources: Formula1.com, The Race, RacingNews365, PlanetF1, GPFans, Sky Sports