George Russell Starts on Pole in Azerbaijan with a Chance to Cut Antonelli's F1 Lead
- 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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295 Articles
George Russell takes Baku pole as Antonelli falls to 16th
George Russell did not merely take pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He created the largest possible starting-grid advantage over Mercedes teammate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli, whose qualifying ended in the opening session after a crash. Russell was fastest in all three sectors around Baku and beat Ferrari's Charles Leclerc by 0.837 seconds. It was his fifth pole of the season and a margin large enough to make the performan…
Baku. George Russell (Mercedes) will start today from the pole position of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix of Formula 1, after achieving the best time yesterday in the urban circuit of Baku, while Mexican Sergio Checo Pérez (Cadillac) suffered a penalty and will leave from position 20.
George Russell starts on pole in Azerbaijan with a chance to cut Antonelli’s F1 lead
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — George Russell starts Saturday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix on pole with a chance to cut into his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli's mammoth 81-point Formula 1 standings lead.
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