Technical problems end Antonelli and Hadjar’s Baku sessions early

Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar had to end their first free practice session in Baku early because of technical problems, RacingNews365 reports. Antonelli reported a hydraulic failure; Hadjar experienced several problems with his car.

GPBeat · Newsroom24 Sept 2026, 11:07 · 1 min

Kimi Antonelli came to a halt in the run-off area at Turn 7 during first free practice on 24 September. According to RacingNews365, he reported over the team radio that his car’s hydraulics had failed. The outlet writes that this brought his session to an end.

Isack Hadjar’s return to the RB22 after missing three Grands Prix was also interrupted early on. He initially complained that the brakes were pulling the car to one side. According to the report, this meant he narrowly avoided a crash on his reconnaissance lap. Those brake problems then appeared to have been resolved.

About fifteen minutes later, Hadjar reported further problems: the power unit was faltering and fifth gear was no longer available. He was instructed to return to the pits without shifting above second gear. According to RacingNews365, this also marked the end of his session.

Carlos Sainz also had to pit earlier in the session, according to RacingNews365, because his brakes were on fire. The report does not state whether he was able to continue afterwards.

Source context

Based on a single interim report from RacingNews365 Nederland. Original team radio transmissions, technical statements from the teams and a final session report have not been supplied.

Claims and supporting evidence 6

Stefan Kerk writes in RacingNews365 Nederland on 24 September 2026 that Isack Hadjar is returning to the RB22 during the Azerbaijan race weekend after missing three Grands Prix.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Context of Hadjar’s participation — 2026 Azerbaijan GP race weekend. The page does not explain why Hadjar was absent.

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According to RacingNews365, Hadjar complained at the start of first free practice that the brakes were pulling the car to one side. He reportedly almost crashed as a result on his reconnaissance lap. The brake problems then appeared to have been resolved.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Hadjar’s brake problems during first free practice — start of first free practice for the Azerbaijan GP, 24 September 2026. The source describes a near-crash, not an actual crash. The resolution of the brake problems is described as apparent, not definitively confirmed.

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RacingNews365 reports that, about fifteen minutes after the initial problems, Hadjar again reported problems over the team radio: his power unit was faltering and fifth gear was no longer available.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Hadjar’s faltering power unit and unavailable fifth gear — first free practice for the Azerbaijan GP, 24 September 2026. This is RacingNews365’s account, not an independently checked team radio transmission or technical diagnosis. No causal link between the reported problems has been established.

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According to RacingNews365, Hadjar was instructed to return to the pits without shifting above second gear. The outlet reports that this brought his session to an end.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Hadjar’s return to the pits — first free practice for the Azerbaijan GP, 24 September 2026. The end of his session is reported in an article published while the session was still in progress. The supplied page does not contain a final session report.

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A few minutes after Hadjar’s problems, Kimi Antonelli was stationary in the run-off area at Turn 7, according to RacingNews365. The outlet writes that Antonelli reported a hydraulic failure over the team radio and that this also ended his session. RacingNews365 identifies him as the world championship leader.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Antonelli coming to a halt at Turn 7 — first free practice for the Azerbaijan GP, 24 September 2026. The initial impression that Antonelli had gone straight on does not establish that he made a driving error. The hydraulic failure is a report attributed to Antonelli. Championship standings showing points are not provided.

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RacingNews365 reports that Carlos Sainz had to pit earlier in the same session because his brakes were on fire. The page describes his Williams as fully upgraded.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Sainz’s brake fire — first free practice for the Azerbaijan GP, 24 September 2026. The source draws no causal link between the upgrades and the brake fire and does not say that Sainz had to end his session for good.

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