The 2026 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix continues on Friday with final practice and qualifying at the Baku street circuit.
Mercedes driver George Russell led both practice sessions on Thursday in Azerbaijan, as he looks to close down an 81-point deficit to his team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the championship standings.
It was a harder day for Antonelli, who suffered a hydraulics issue in FP1 and missed crucial track time. Despite this, he was able to finish second overall at the end of FP2.
Mercedes looks to be the team to beat at Baku, with McLaren's Lando Norris offering a particularly glum outlook for himself and his upgraded car after finishing sixth at the end of FP2.
Just under 1.5s from Russell's best time, Norris said his lack of pace was like "a knife in the heart".
Red Bull looks competitive, with Max Verstappen third on Thursday, though it will need to make a step if it has any hope of catching up to Mercedes.
Ferrari was in the mix in fourth and fifth at the end of practice yesterday, though it doesn't yet look like being able to get in on the pole battle coming up later today.
Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad comes into the second day of the Azerbaijan weekend having crashed in FP2 at the castle section. His shunt brought out a brief red flag.
The Briton did something similar in Madrid, and it ultimately curtailed what was shaping up to be a strong weekend.
Further back, Aston Martin faces a combined 45-place grid penalty for its drivers after taking on various new power unit components for this weekend. But Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finished at the back of the field anyway at the end of FP2.
Friday Azerbaijan GP schedule
FP3 - 9:30am BST - 10:30am BST
Qualifying - 1pm BST - 2pm BST
Esteban Ocon launched a fiery outburst following a Q2 elimination in Baku on Friday.
Isack Hadjar believes a Baku front row was possible if he hadn’t missed the last three races.
Lando Norris says he “paid the price” for a late error on Q3 in Azerbaijan qualifying.
Max Verstappen explains why Azerbaijan GP qualifying was “a disaster”.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli has explained his qualifying crash at Baku
That sure was a dramatic qualifying. Keep your eyes open now for all of the reaction from the Baku paddock.
George Russell claimed a commanding F1 pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Full qualifying results from the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Looks like Verstappen got caught out by a late yellow flag.
Verstappen is only P8! What a shocker.
George Russell takes pole from Charles Leclerc by 0.837s. Oscar Piastri is third.
Russell finds a 1m42.526s!
Norris has gone on at Turn 3.
Chequered flag is out.
If Verstappen has anything for pole, he's going to need to show it now. Just one lap left.
Hamilton only fifth on that lap. Leclerc is second, but is 0.4s down.
Just three minutes to go in this session.
Russell takes provisional pole with a mighty 1m43.037s!
So, it's Piastri from Norris, Russell, Verstappen, Sainz, Hadjar.
McLaren has somehow pulled itself right into this fight. That didn't seem possible at the start of this qualifying hour.
Piastri goes faster, though, on a 1m43.571s.
Russell sets the benchmark at 1m43.713s.
Red Bull and Ferrari have chosen to wait a bit before heading out. Suggests they won't be changing tyres in this session.
The pole shootout session begins!
Alex Albon complained that he had "no tow" in Q2, stopping his hopes of reaching Q3.
Big job from Williams to get through to Q3 for the first time. Its updated car is clearly working.