In a short while, the red lights will go out in Azerbaijan for the 15th Grand Prix of the Formula 1 season. The drivers are preparing for a challenging and unpredictable race, as we saw during qualifying in Baku.
George Russell was “flying” around the track and secured pole position with a lead of 0.8 seconds over second-place Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque managed to hold on to second place, while Oscar Piastri finished third, having set a faster time than Isaac Hanjar in the final seconds.
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Kimi Antonelli was incredibly unlucky; in Q1, he hit the wall and damaged his front-left tire. His Mercedes team explained that they could not fix the problem immediately, so he withdrew from the rest of the session. The Italian will start the main race from 16th place, though he isn’t as optimistic as he was for the race at Monza regarding his overtaking opportunities.
Of course, the FIA also handed down penalties to two drivers. Specifically, Carlos Sainz was penalized with a five-position grid penalty for failing to slow down under yellow flags. Sergio Pérez also received a penalty; according to the FIA, he was driving at reduced speed on the racing line and will start the main race from last place.
The starting grid for Saturday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix
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— Formula 1 (@F1) September 25, 2026
