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.
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<p>F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026: Race in Baku George Russell wins qualifying for the 15th stage of Formula 1 in Baku. Furstappen will start eighth and the race will take place on Saturday through Memorial Day.</p>
Kimi Antonelli starts from far behind at Azerbaijan's Grand Prix, the World Cup leader touched the wall early in qualifying. Max Verstappen also scored a disappointing result.
World Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, Italy, crashed in qualifying and will start from 16th place in the Formula 1 World Championship in Baku. His Mercedes teammate, George Russell, was fastest and took pole position.
The Mercedes British dominates the qualifications in Azerbaijan by detaching almost a second Ferrari, sixth Hamilton. Kimi's error in Q1
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