F1 / NEWS & CONTEXT

Russell fastest in Baku as Antonelli stops early in first practice

George Russell finished the first free practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix fastest, ahead of Max Verstappen. Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli stopped after around 25 minutes and finished fifth.

GPBeat · Newsroom24 Sept 2026, 11:41 · 2 min

Russell set a 1:45.387, putting him exactly four tenths of a second ahead of Max Verstappen, Samuel Coop reports in his session report for RacingNews365 English. Charles Leclerc finished third, followed by Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli's session ended after just around 25 minutes. He parked his smoking Mercedes at Turn 7, prompting a virtual safety car so the car could be removed. RacingNews365 mentions a suspected hydraulic problem; the report contains no technical confirmation from Mercedes. Before his stoppage, Antonelli had briefly topped the timesheets with a 1:46.265. His eventual fifth place therefore came after a session cut short.

Not everything went smoothly at Red Bull either. Isack Hadjar returned to the garage after reporting that his engine had failed. He did not go out again. His report is not a confirmed diagnosis of the technical problem.

McLaren ended the session with Oscar Piastri tenth and Lando Norris fifteenth. According to RacingNews365, the team took precautionary measures because of suspected radiator damage caused by an aerodynamic component that had come loose on Norris' car. The report does not say what those measures were or how much running time or pace they cost.

In the final five minutes, a second virtual safety car followed stoppages for Arvid Lindblad at Turn 7 and Nico Hülkenberg in sector 3. Esteban Ocon also stopped on track in the closing moments.

Sources 01

SOURCEGeorge Russell seizes early control as Kimi Antonelli plagued by FP1 issue in BakuRacingNews365 English · Source date as found: 2026-09-24

Source context

Based on a single session report from RacingNews365 English, without an additional independent source. The embedded full results table was not available.

Claims and supporting evidence 7

According to Samuel Coop's session report for RacingNews365 English, George Russell was fastest in Baku with a 1:45.387. Max Verstappen was second with a 1:45.787, a gap of 0.400 seconds.

This finding from the source must be read within the stated scope and source context. Fastest times in the first free practice session for the Azerbaijan GP, 24 September 2026, FP1. This is the practice result reported by RacingNews365, not a prediction for qualifying or the race. The embedded official results table is not available in the document.

[1]

Charles Leclerc finished third, ahead of Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli in fourth and fifth respectively.

This finding from the source must be read within the stated scope and source context. Other positions in the top five in FP1, 24 September 2026, FP1. The text gives this order, but no final lap times or gaps for these three drivers.

[1]

Antonelli's session ended after around 25 minutes. He stopped his smoking Mercedes at Turn 7, prompting a virtual safety car so the car could be removed. RacingNews365 mentions a suspected hydraulic problem.

This finding from the source must be read within the stated scope and source context. Early end to Antonelli's session, 24 September 2026, around 25 minutes after the start of FP1. The introduction refers to a suspected hydraulic problem; later, the report states that cause without qualification. The document contains no technical confirmation from Mercedes, so the diagnosis remains uncertain. The 25 minutes are not a substantiated measure of time actually spent on track.

[1]

Antonelli had temporarily set the fastest time earlier in the session: 1:46.265. His eventual fifth place therefore came after a session in which he first topped the timesheets and then had to stop early.

This finding from the source must be read within the stated scope and source context. Antonelli's pace before his stoppage, 24 September 2026, first part of FP1. Setting the fastest lap at an intermediate stage does not prove that his ultimate pace was equal to or better than Russell's. Conversely, without equal running time and information about tyres and programmes, the final classification does not provide a like-for-like comparison between the Mercedes drivers.

[1]

Isack Hadjar reported during FP1 that his engine had failed and returned to the garage. With just over twenty minutes remaining, RacingNews365 reported that he would not return to the track; his Red Bull was on stands.

This finding from the source must be read within the stated scope and source context. Problems for Isack Hadjar and Red Bull, 24 September 2026, FP1. The engine failure was Hadjar's report, not a confirmed technical diagnosis. Elsewhere, the report refers to an apparent engine problem.

[1]

Oscar Piastri finished tenth and Lando Norris fifteenth. According to RacingNews365, McLaren took precautionary measures because of suspected radiator damage caused by a bargeboard that had come loose on Norris' MCL40.

This finding from the source must be read within the stated scope and source context. McLaren's practice result and reported technical concerns, 24 September 2026, FP1. The radiator damage is described as suspected. The document does not specify the precautionary measures or quantify how much time or pace either driver lost as a result.

[1]

In the final five minutes, stoppages for Arvid Lindblad at Turn 7 and Nico Hülkenberg in sector 3 caused the session's second virtual safety car. Esteban Ocon also stopped on track in the closing moments.

This finding from the source must be read within the stated scope and source context. Stoppages in the closing stages of FP1, 24 September 2026, closing stages of FP1. The report gives no causes for these three stoppages. Ocon's stoppage is not described as a reason for the second virtual safety car.

[1]

This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.