George Russell Leads FP1 as Verstappen and Leclerc Follow Closely Behind .George Russell Leads FP1 as Verstappen and Leclerc Follow Closely Behind 👀🔥

George Russell made an immediate statement at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix by setting the fastest time in the opening free practice session around the demanding Baku City Circuit. The Mercedes driver topped the timesheets ahead of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, giving his team an encouraging start to the race weekend.

Russell recorded a best lap of 1:45.387, putting him around four tenths of a second clear of Verstappen. Leclerc completed the top three, ensuring that Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari were all represented at the front of the field during the first competitive running of the weekend.

The result provides an early indication of the competitiveness expected in Baku, although the FP1 order should be treated cautiously. Teams use the opening practice session for a mixture of purposes, including aerodynamic evaluations, tyre preparation, race simulations and qualifying-style runs. As a result, the timesheets do not necessarily represent the competitive order that will emerge later in the weekend.

Russell Sets the Benchmark

Russell’s lap was the headline moment of the session. The Mercedes driver found the pace needed to put his car at the top of the order as the field became increasingly competitive.

Baku presents a unique challenge for Formula 1 drivers. The circuit combines extremely tight sections around the historic part of the city with long, high-speed stretches where aerodynamic efficiency and straight-line performance are particularly important. The 6.003-kilometre street circuit is therefore a demanding test of both the car and the driver.

Mercedes’ performance in FP1 will be particularly interesting to follow because the team entered the weekend without the major upgrade package brought by some rivals. Despite that, Russell immediately demonstrated strong one-lap pace.

The session therefore gives Mercedes plenty of useful information to analyse before the next practice runs and qualifying.

Verstappen Close Behind

Max Verstappen finished second, approximately four tenths behind Russell. The Red Bull driver remains one of the central figures heading into the Azerbaijan weekend, and his FP1 performance suggests that Red Bull is already within striking distance of Mercedes.

Verstappen has also enjoyed strong results in Baku in previous seasons. He has won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix twice, including the 2025 edition, and Red Bull has accumulated five victories at the circuit.

The Dutchman is targeting another strong result this weekend, while Red Bull is also working with a major package of updates. That makes the development of the RB car throughout practice especially important.

A second-place finish in FP1 does not guarantee anything for the remainder of the weekend, but Verstappen’s position ensures that Mercedes cannot afford to overlook Red Bull’s pace.

Leclerc Completes the Top Three

Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, giving the Scuderia another encouraging early result.

Ferrari’s approach in the opening session was somewhat different from some of its rivals. Reports from FP1 indicate that Ferrari’s drivers recorded their fastest laps on the medium tyres rather than the soft compound, meaning the raw position on the timesheets may not tell the entire story.

That tyre difference could become important when teams begin making more direct qualifying simulations later in the weekend.

Leclerc is also no stranger to performing strongly on street circuits, and his ability to extract performance from a Ferrari around Baku will be closely watched as the weekend progresses.

Mercedes Hit by Antonelli Problem

While Russell enjoyed a positive session, Mercedes did not have a completely trouble-free start.

Kimi Antonelli’s FP1 running was cut short by a hydraulic problem, preventing the championship leader from completing the session as planned.

The issue will now require investigation by Mercedes engineers. Losing valuable track time in a practice session can be particularly frustrating on a street circuit because teams have limited opportunities to gather data.

Antonelli currently leads the championship, with Russell behind him in the standings. Reuters reported ahead of the weekend that Antonelli had built an 81-point advantage over his Mercedes team-mate after 14 rounds.

That makes every competitive session important as the championship battle continues.

Hamilton Also Shows Strong Pace

Lewis Hamilton was another notable performer in FP1. The Ferrari driver finished fourth in the session, immediately behind Leclerc.

The result means Ferrari placed both cars inside the leading group, although, as with Leclerc, Hamilton’s fastest time came on the medium tyre according to reports from the session.

Hamilton’s experience around Baku could prove valuable during the remainder of the weekend. The circuit requires precision through the narrow sections while also demanding confidence on the long straights.

With the Ferrari pair already near the front, the team will now focus on understanding how its car performs across different tyre compounds and fuel loads.

A Disrupted Opening Session

The first practice session was not completely straightforward. Alongside Antonelli’s hydraulic issue, several interruptions and technical concerns affected running.

That makes the data gathered during FP1 particularly important for the teams as they prepare for the next sessions.

Baku is also a circuit where small mistakes can have major consequences. The combination of walls, narrow sections and high-speed corners leaves relatively little margin for error.

Drivers therefore need to build confidence gradually rather than immediately pushing beyond the limits.

What Russell’s Result Means

Russell’s FP1 performance is an encouraging sign for Mercedes, but it is too early to draw definitive conclusions from the opening hour.

Practice sessions are often influenced by different fuel loads, tyre compounds and individual team programmes. Some drivers may focus on long-run performance while others conduct short qualifying simulations.

For that reason, Russell’s advantage over Verstappen and Leclerc should be viewed as an early snapshot rather than a prediction of the qualifying order.

Still, topping the first session provides Mercedes with valuable momentum.

The Road Ahead

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is the 15th round of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The event is being held on an unusual Saturday race schedule, with the change linked to Azerbaijan’s Remembrance Day on September 27.

The compressed weekend makes efficient preparation even more important for every team.

Mercedes will now have to investigate Antonelli’s hydraulic problem while analysing Russell’s leading pace. Red Bull will look to understand whether Verstappen can close the gap, while Ferrari will continue evaluating the performance of its medium-tyre runs.

For Russell, however, the opening message is clear: Mercedes has started the Baku weekend at the top of the timesheets.

Verstappen is close behind, Leclerc is also within reach, and Hamilton remains firmly in the leading group.

With practice still to come and qualifying yet to decide the starting order, the competitive picture is far from settled. But after Russell’s impressive opening hour, all eyes will be on Mercedes to see whether the British driver can maintain that pace as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend develops..