Russell holds off Verstappen in Baku thriller as Hadjar takes third

George Russell turned a commanding drive into a last-lap escape at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 26, 2026, beating Max Verstappen to the finish line by just 0.196 seconds. Isack Hadjar completed the podium in third as two Safety Car periods transformed what had looked like a comfortable Mercedes victory into a tense sprint through the streets of Baku.

Russell started from pole and kept the lead at the opening corner. Oscar Piastri moved into second, but the McLaren could not match the leader’s pace. Behind him, Verstappen and Hadjar worked their way forward in the two Red Bulls, setting up a battle that would matter once Russell’s advantage disappeared.

Two interruptions erase the lead

By the time the race passed halfway, Russell had built a lead of nearly 10 seconds over Piastri. That cushion vanished on lap 31 when Alex Albon locked up and hit the barrier at Turn 6. The Safety Car brought the field together, and the leaders took the opportunity to pit for tyres intended to carry them to the finish.

Russell retained first place at the restart, but Verstappen passed Piastri for second. The race barely had time to settle before another incident brought out the Safety Car. Franco Colapinto locked up into Turn 1 and made contact with his Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly, who was then caught up in a collision with Lando Norris. All three retired, leaving marshals to clear the scene.

There was also contact between Racing Bulls teammates Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson during the restart, though both continued. When racing resumed again, Russell made a cleaner getaway and kept Verstappen behind. Piastri, meanwhile, locked up at the first corner, went wide and lost the podium position he had defended for much of the afternoon. He eventually finished 14th.

A drag race to the flag

Verstappen stayed close to Russell over the closing laps, but the Mercedes driver repeatedly protected enough of a gap to deny him a decisive run along Baku’s long main straight. The contest took another turn when Valtteri Bottas hit the wall late in the race, prompting yellow flags rather than a third Safety Car.

Russell said he slowed for the yellow flag on the final lap and then briefly lacked power when he accelerated again. Verstappen drew alongside on the run to the line, but Russell held on. The margin was less than two-tenths of a second after 51 laps. Verstappen remained without a win in the 2026 season, while Hadjar secured Red Bull’s double podium, finishing 10.704 seconds behind Russell.

The retirements extended beyond the two incidents that caused Safety Car periods. Bottas’s late crash ended his race, while Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso stopped with separate car problems. Stroll’s water-pressure issue had brought out an earlier yellow flag but did not require a Safety Car.

Charles Leclerc finished fourth, ahead of Russell’s Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli, who recovered to fifth after starting 16th following a qualifying crash. Lewis Hamilton took sixth, with Lindblad, Esteban Ocon, Oliver Bearman and Carlos Sainz completing the points-paying places. McLaren left Baku without a point after Norris’s retirement and Piastri’s fall down the order.

What the victory means for Russell

The win was Russell’s third of 2026 and his first since the Austrian Grand Prix in June. It was also his eighth career Grand Prix victory. His pole position and race result made Baku a particularly strong weekend, even if the final few metres were far closer than most of the race had suggested.

Russell moved to 236 points in the drivers’ standings, reducing Antonelli’s championship lead to 66 points. That remains a substantial gap, but Baku showed that Russell could turn Mercedes’ pace into a victory under pressure. After building a lead, losing it twice to interruptions and facing Verstappen at the finish, he left Azerbaijan with both the trophy and renewed momentum for the rest of his season.