10:27
Just a couple of minutes left. Hamilton is fifth on his latest flying lap.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 2026 Azerbaijan GP
© XPB Images
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Qualifying reaction after Antonelli crash
Live updates from FP3 and qualifying at the 2026 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
KEY MOMENTS
- Russell takes Baku pole
- Antonelli is out of qualifying after crash
- Russell fastest in Q1 and Q2
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
25 Sep 2026
10:24
Verstappen improves to a 1m44.126s on that previous lap.
10:24
Verstappen has got pace here to potentially disrupt Mercedes' pole hopes this afternoon. And he looks like the only one at this stage.
10:23
Russell off
Russell just about kept his Mercedes out of the wall a Turn 7. He locked up on the way and just got it stopped in time.
10:20
Verstappen pulls out an encouraging lap of 1m44.162s, making use of a tow, to go second. Not bad given how many laps he's done on those tyres at this point.
10:17
Antonelli improves, but is still about 0.2s behind in second.
10:17
That feels like a bit of a statement lap from Russell. He's looking very, very good at this stage.
10:17
Russell improves to a 1m44.021s.
10:16
Verstappen is only fifth with a 1m45.168s on that flying lap.
10:14
Ferrari is doing a lot of work to Hamilton's front left brake and the Briton is out of the car.
10:13
Russell finds a 1m44.177s to go top ahead of Antonelli by 0.6s.
10:12
We're onto proper soft tyre running now.
10:11
Standings with 20 minutes to go:
- Russell
- Leclerc
- Antonelli
- Hamilton
- Verstappen
- Hadjar
- Piastri
- Norris
- Bearman
- Gasly
- Colapinto
- Ocon
- Hulkenberg
- Perez
- Lawson
- Albon
- Sainz
- Bortoleto
- Lindblad
- Alonso
- Stroll
- Bottas
10:07
Getting quiet out there on track now as everyone starts to head back into the pits.
10:05
"Very low confidence into Turn 1," Piastri says on his team radio.
10:05
Albon is the latest driver to find an escape road.
10:03
Hamilton off track
Hamilton has run on at Turn 3.
10:03
"If for once this car wouldn't jump like a kangaroo - my God!," Verstappen raged on his team radio when he ran off at Turn 15.
10:02
Stroll damaged his car on the inside wall at Turn 1. That's why he stopped at Turn 4.
10:02
Verstappen off
Verstappen has run off at Turn 15, but did a very impressive little spin to get the car pointing in the right direction.
10:01
And just as I hit go on that post, Russell has gone fastest with a 1m44.715s.
10:01
Standings after 30 minutes:
- Antonelli
- Hamilton
- Leclerc
- Verstappen
- Russell
- Piastri
- Hadjar
- Norris
- Bearman
- Colapinto
- Hulkenberg
- Albon
- Sainz
- Bortoleto
- Lawson
- Lindblad
- Peres
- Gasly
- Ocon
- Alonso
- Stroll
- Bottas
10:00
Antonelli has gone fastest with a 1m45.046s on the medium tyre.
Lance Stroll, meanwhile, has stopped at Turn 4.
09:58
"The car is very numb in Turn 16 with the wind," Verstappen reports.
Red Bull has brought a sizeable upgrade to Baku
09:57
Now a Ferrari 1-2 again, as Leclerc moves into second.