Russell fends off Verstappen to win in Baku, Antonelli fifth
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Mercedes’ George Russell crossing the line to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- George Russell won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, narrowly beating Max Verstappen by 0.196 seconds after a challenging race with two safety car phases.
- Kimi Antonelli recovered from a poor qualifying crash to finish fifth, maintaining his championship lead despite a difficult race.
- Isack Hadjar returned from injury to finish third, while Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton completed the top six positions.
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BAKU – George Russell held off Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen to complete a lights-to-flag win in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sept 26, with teammate Kimi Antonelli limiting the damage to his championship lead by finishing fifth.
Russell took the flag 0.196 seconds ahead of the flying Dutchman, who started eighth but crossed the line nearly side by side with his Mercedes rival after two safety car phases turned a cruise into a fight for survival for the Briton.
Frenchman Isack Hadjar, who was handed a contract extension by Red Bull earlier this week and missed the last three races with a wrist injury, completed the podium on his racing return.
The win around the Baku street track was the eighth of Russell’s career, his third of the season and his first since the Austrian Grand Prix at the end of June.
It allowed him to close the gap in the overall standings to Italian championship leader Antonelli by 15 points to 66 after 15 rounds.
“It’s amazing to be back on the top step of the podium,” said Russell. “Every race since the (summer) break I’ve gone from strength to strength and I feel more like myself again.”
Antonelli had started 16th after a rare error saw him crash out of qualifying on Sept 25.
His drive on Sept 26 was less like his Monza charge – when he went from 19th to first – and more a slow burn recovery.
Charles Leclerc took fourth for Ferrari ahead of the 20-year-old Italian. His seven-time world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton was sixth.
Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad finished seventh. Esteban Ocon took eighth ahead of teammate Oliver Bearman in a double points finish for Haas.
Carlos Sainz rounded out the top 10 for Williams. REUTERS