George Russell delivered an exceptional performance to secure pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, setting a time of 1 minute 42.526 seconds. His Mercedes teammate, championship leader Kimi Antonelli, experienced an uncharacteristic error, hitting the wall during the first qualifying session (Q1) and ending his participation early. In qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix however he was given a salutary reminder that the full-on commitment that makes him so engrossing to watch can still bite. Caught out as the grip ramped up, finishing in 16th and angry with himself he held his hands up to the error.
Antonelli, who has been a standout in his second F1 season with eight victories, clipped the barrier at the 90-degree left-handed Turn 1 just 11 minutes into Friday’s running. The incident caused damage to his track rod and a puncture. Although he attempted to return to the garage, race engineer Pete Bonnington instructed him to park the car, stating, “We can’t fix this, mate.”
Despite the crash, the 20-year-old Italian’s initial time was sufficient to advance him to Q2, though he did not participate in the session. Antonelli expressed frustration over his mistake, acknowledging it was “very unnecessary” and vowing to “try our best to recover as many places as possible” in Saturday’s race. In which he took no part, the 20-year-old’s time was enough to see him through to Q2. “I turned in and suddenly I had a lot more front end than the lap before and touched the wall,” he said. “Mistake from my side, very unnecessary.
This incident marks only Antonelli’s second significant error this season, following a crash in final practice at the Australian Grand Prix. He currently holds an 81-point lead over Russell in the championship, a margin that allows him some flexibility, especially on a circuit where Mercedes cars have demonstrated a considerable advantage. Especially at a track where Mercedes enjoy such a huge advantage over their rivals, he knows his lead in the championship – 81 points over Russell – is such that he need take no chances. Such has been Kimi Antonelli’s consummate control this season he has barely put a foot wrong, for all his youth.
Russell capitalized on this advantage, delivering an “inch-perfect” qualifying run. He was notably fast in the first sector and continued to improve, ultimately finishing 0.837 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, marking the largest pole margin of the season. Oscar Piastri of McLaren secured third, with Isack Hadjar of Red Bull in fourth. Lando Norris, also from McLaren, finished fifth, while Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari was sixth, and Max Verstappen of Red Bull placed eighth.
Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord expressed confidence in Antonelli’s ability to recover, advising him to “race smart in the early stages tomorrow.” Baku’s long straights offer ample overtaking opportunities, making a significant climb through the field plausible for Antonelli, who previously won in Monza after starting 19th.
Russell’s pole position is his fifth of the year and his first in Baku, as well as his first since the Austrian Grand Prix. This strong performance comes after a season where he has faced challenges with the car’s energy deployment, leading him to re-evaluate his driving style. His confident and precise qualifying run keeps his championship hopes alive heading into Saturday’s race.
The Q1 eliminations included Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi), Nico Hülkenberg (Audi), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Sergio Pérez (Cadillac), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), and Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac). Alonso and Stroll will start 21st and 22nd, respectively, due to power-unit penalties.
Q2 eliminations saw Oliver Bearman (Haas), Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), Alexander Albon (Williams), Esteban Ocon (Haas), and Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) exit the session, with Antonelli also listed in 16th due to his non-participation.
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