George Russell storms to Azerbaijan GP pole after Kimi Antonelli crash

George Russell claimed a dominant pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as his Mercedes Formula 1 team-mate and title rival Andrea Kimi Antonelli crashed out. 

The 28-year-old Briton set two laps good enough for pole and was untouchable as he beat Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by a huge 0.837 seconds - marking the biggest qualifying margin of the 2026 F1 season. 

It was an incredible performance from Russell, who topped two of the three practice sessions and set the pace in each of the three qualifying segments in Baku on his way to securing his fifth pole of the year and first since the Austrian Grand Prix. 

Runaway championship leader Antonelli suffered a qualifying disaster after making a rare mistake and crashing out on his second push lap in Q1, resulting in an early exit for the 20-year-old. 

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Full qualifying results

Antonelli clobbered the inside wall at Turn 1 with a big whack that heavily damaged the front-left of his Mercedes. The Italian desperately tried to limp back to the pits but was told to park up and had to admit defeat. 

Antonelli’s first lap was good enough to get through to Q2 but he could take no further part in qualifying, leaving him only 16th on the grid for Saturday’s race. 

Oscar Piastri also ended up eight tenths off Russell’s electrifying lap as he took third for McLaren, ahead of Isack Hadjar who was fourth on his Red Bull return after recovering from a wrist injury that sidelined him for the last three races. 

Reigning world champion Lando Norris was fifth-fastest after a lock up ruined his final flying lap, while it was a disappointing qualifying for Lewis Hamilton, who ended up 1.332s off the pace as the seven-time world champion could only manage sixth, having provided a useful tow for Leclerc. 

Pierre Gasly was a strong seventh for Alpine, ahead of four-time world champion Max Verstappen, whose final lap was ruined by yellow flags as Norris went off the track ahead of the Red Bull driver. 

Carlos Sainz claimed a brilliant ninth as a major upgrade helped Williams secure the team’s first Q3 appearance of the season, while Franco Colapinto completed the top-10 in his Alpine. 

Ollie Bearman narrowly missed out on reaching Q3 for Haas as the Briton had to settle with 11th, ahead of Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Alex Albon, who rued having no tow as he failed to join his Williams team-mate in the top-10 shootout. 

Esteban Ocon, who appears set to lose his Haas seat at the end of the season, was 14th-fastest, ahead of the second Racing Bulls belonging to F1 rookie Arvid Lindblad, and Antonelli who did not set a time following his crash. 

Despite deploying an extensive upgrade in Baku, Audi suffered a disappointing double Q1 elimination with Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg dumped out in 17th and 18th. 

Fernando Alonso put his Aston Martin 19th as he out-qualified two-time Azerbaijan Grand Prix winner Sergio Perez, who is running Ferrari’s ADUO 2 engine in the back of his Cadillac. 

Lance Stroll was 21st in the second Aston Martin after narrowly avoiding a crash in Q1, while Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas, who is having to wait to wait longer to get Ferrari’s latest power unit, was slowest of all in 22nd.