In Pictures: Azerbaijan 2026
This triple header started in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan and home to one of the fastest and most distinctive street circuits on the calendar. The track is 6.003 kilometres (3.730 miles) long and features 20 corners, some of them at right angles, with highly technical sections through the old city and long straights where the cars reach very high speeds.
Some of the city streets that make up the circuit have been resurfaced. The work affected sections of Turns 2, 3 and 4. The new asphalt, limited to specific areas, was not expected to influence tire behavior which, as is often the case on street circuits, would initially be affected by rather low grip levels. Track evolution over the course of the weekend was instead expected to be significant, thanks to the progressive build-up of rubber on the surface.
This year, the race weekend schedule was brought forward by one day, with the first two practice sessions taking place on Thursday, qualifying on Friday and the race on Saturday at 3:00 PM local time.
The asphalt, which is relatively smooth and not very abrasive, was expected to result in very low levels of wear and degradation, making a one-stop race the most likely scenario.
This was the tenth Azerbaijan Grand Prix held on the streets of Baku. Eight editions have been run under the Azerbaijan Grand Prix title and one, in 2016, was held as the European Grand Prix. Sergio Pérez and Max Verstappen are the only two drivers to have won more than once in Baku, with two victories each. Red Bull is the most successful team at the venue, with five wins. Charles Leclerc held the record for the most pole positions, having started from the front of the grid on four occasions.
THURSDAY
George Russell set the fastest time in the second free practice session in Baku, stopping the clock at 1:43.347. The Mercedes driver achieved his benchmark on the Soft compound and also completed two stints on the Medium. Behind him was teammate Kimi Antonelli, 0.552 seconds adrift with a 1:43.899, while Max Verstappen finished third in 1:44.174.
All three drivers used both the Medium and Soft compounds during the session, setting their best times on the softer tire.
During FP2, air temperatures remained around 31°C (88°F), while track temperature peaked at 44.8°C (112.6°F). Even higher values had been recorded during the first session, when the track reached 47.6°C (117.7°F).
FRIDAY
George Russell dominated qualifying in Baku, securing pole position with a time of 1:42.526 and finishing more than eight tenths of a second clear of second-placed Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque stopped the clock at 1:43.363, while Oscar Piastri completed the top three, just one thousandth of a second behind the Ferrari driver.
Max Verstappen set the benchmark in FP3 with a 1:43.922. George Russell finished second in 1:44.021, with Lewis Hamilton third on 1:44.033.
While track temperatures reached 40°C (104°F) during FP3, with wind gusts between 30 and 35 km/h (19 and 22 mph), temperatures steadily declined during qualifying, falling to around 30°C (86°F) by the end of the hour-long session. Ambient temperatures remained relatively stable throughout the day, hovering around 25°C (77°F).
SATURDAY
George Russell won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver secured a dramatic victory over Max Verstappen, who finished second. Isack Hadjar, Verstappen's teammate, completed the podium on the very weekend that Red Bull confirmed his seat alongside the Dutchman through to 2027.
During the opening stint, Russell managed to build a significant gap over the chasing pack. However, after two Safety Car periods, Verstappen fought his way back into second place. From that point onwards, the Red Bull driver piled pressure on the Briton, remaining consistently within a second of the lead. In the end, Russell held firm and kept Verstappen behind all the way to the chequered flag, crossing the line just 0.196 seconds ahead.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished fifth after starting P16 on the grid, just 0.374 seconds behind Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari in fourth.
Media courtesy of Pirelli S.p.A., Getty Images, DPPI, and the official Formula 1 team press offices. All images are provided via Getty Images through the respective team media platforms and are credited to their rightful copyright holders. Photos not for sale.
