Skip to main content
See every side of every news story
Published • loading... • Updated

F1 leader Kimi Antonelli hits the wall in Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying

  • On Friday, Max Verstappen recorded the fastest lap at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, clocking 1:43.922 in final practice. The Red Bull driver edged out Mercedes' George Russell by 0.099 seconds, denying him a clean sweep of practice.
  • Utilizing a significant slipstream along Baku City Circuit's 2km straight, Verstappen secured the top spot despite his car's instability. Russell had previously dominated both practice sessions on Thursday, showcasing Mercedes' strong pace.
  • Gusty conditions and debris prompted a virtual safety car during the session, while the Red Bull driver reported his RB22 was "jumping like a kangaroo" before using the Turn 15 runoff. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll damaged his front-left suspension after hitting the wall.
  • Qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix begins at 1600 local time today. Because the race takes place on Saturday rather than the traditional Sunday, the compressed schedule forces teams to finalize setups rapidly.
  • Lewis Hamilton finished third, while world championship leader Kimi Antonelli placed fourth after missing Thursday's track time. Antonelli holds an 81-point lead over Russell with nine rounds remaining, setting the stage for Saturday's grid-deciding qualifying.
Insights by Ground AI

215 Articles

Mercedes driver George Russell won qualifying at the Formula One World Championship in Baku. His teammate and overall series leader Kimi Antonelli's time trial ended in the second session.

·Tallinn, Estonia
Read Full Article
Lean Left

George Russell, the British driver for the Mercedes team, secured pole position at the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

·Istanbul, Türkiye
Read Full Article

Mercedes drivers were the most prominent in qualifying for the Formula 1 Azerbaijan round - one convincingly won pole position, while the other ended the performance early due to an incident.

·Vilnius, Lithuania
Read Full Article
Center

The English driver dominated the qualifying session and will be out ahead of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri

Think freely.Subscribe and get full access to Ground NewsSubscriptions start at $9.99/yearSubscribe

Bias Distribution

  • 49% of the sources are Center
49% Center

Factuality Info Icon

To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium

Ownership

Info Icon

To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage

Terra broke the news on Friday, September 25, 2026.
Too Big Arrow Icon
Sources are mostly out of (0)

Similar News Topics

News
Feed Dots Icon
For You
Search Icon
Search
Blindspot LogoBlindspotLocal