2026 F1 Azerbaijan GP FP1 – Highlights and Reaction

Welcome to Total-Motorsport.com for live coverage of FP1 at the 2026 F1 Azerbaijan GP, as Formula 1 takes to the streets of Baku for the opening practice session of Round 15. The unusual Thursday start means teams have little time to settle into one of the fastest and most unforgiving street circuits on the calendar.

Kimi Antonelli arrives with an 81-point championship lead for Mercedes after claiming his eighth victory of the season at Madring. Teammate George Russell is his closest challenger, with Lewis Hamilton third for Ferrari.

The first session begins at 12:30 local time and will run for one hour, with FP2 following later on Thursday at 16:00. Baku’s 6.003km layout presents a unique combination of extremely long straights, slow 90-degree corners and the narrow section through the Old City.

2026 F1 Azerbaijan GP FP1 LIVE: Latest Updates

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RESULTS: Russell leads the field into FP2

George Russell set the pace in FP1 at the 2026 Azerbaijan GP, leading Mercedes to the top of the timesheets after a disrupted opening session in Baku.

Russell produced a 1:45.387 on the soft tyre to finish 0.400 seconds clear of Max Verstappen for Red Bull, with Charles Leclerc only 0.004s further back in third.

Here are the results:

Position	Driver	Team	Time
1	George Russell	Mercedes	1:45.387
2	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	+0.400
3	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.404
4	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	+0.437
5	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	+0.878
6	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+1.011
7	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	+1.053
8	Arvid Lindblad	Racing Bulls	+1.214
9	Esteban Ocon	Haas	+1.237
10	Gabriel Bortoleto	Audi	+1.301
11	Nico Hulkenberg	Audi	+1.484
12	Carlos Sainz	Williams	+1.506
13	Alex Albon	Williams	+1.552
14	Lando Norris	McLaren	+1.594
15	Oliver Bearman	Haas	+1.607
16	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	+1.656
17	Sergio Perez	Cadillac	+1.866
18	Franco Colapinto	Alpine	+2.136
19	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	+2.448
20	Isack Hadjar	Red Bull	+2.486
21	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+3.160
22	Valtteri Bottas	Cadillac	+3.928

CHEQUERED FLAG: Russell tops FP1

George Russell is the man of the moment in Free Practice 1 as he tops the opening session of this Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend ahead of Max Verstappen.

The Mercedes was four tenths clear than the Red Bull and two Ferrari cars behind, partially due to the impressive power unit of the W17 but also the nice tow he got into Turn 1.

Could the gap be closer than the timing charts suggest? And what can Kimi Antonelli do when he is back in the car for FP2 after his mid-session hydraulics failure?

2 minutes to go: Ocon stops for Haas!

Esteban Ocon might have been hoping for a big performance to put himself in the shopping window for the winter after he confirmed his future at Haas is out of his control.

But his weekend at the Azerbaijan GP is not going the way he would have hoped as he comes to a stop at the exit of the pit lane with a reliability issue!

After a minute of trying to solve the issue with his engineer, he manages to get his car back going.

5 minutes to go: Lindblad and Hulkenberg stop on track!

Nico Hulkenberg has come to a stop with an apparent mechanical failure on his Audi as the marshals come out to push the car away behind the barriers.

Whilst Arvid Lindblad has got too deep on the brakes into Turn 7 and doesn’t have the room to turn out of the corner, meaning he is waiting for a gap to move his Racing Bulls car.

Eventually he finds that window, and the 19-year-old British-Indian driver can get back into the session to try to improve on his best spot of eighth so far.

10 minutes to go: Session enters a lull

The drivers have now tried their hands at qualifying pace and that means they flip back over to running higher fuel levels and hard tyre compounds.

So the session has entered a little dip in action at the moment with the grid reverting to their own unique run plans for the Azerbaijan GP weekend.

We might get some more fast runs in the final moments.

20 minutes to go: Russell wins the qualifying runs

George Russell posts a 1:45.387 to prove Mercedes have hit the ground running at this Azerbaijan GP weekend with the Brit some four tenths clear of Max Verstappen.

The Silver Arrows’ sole remaining car after Kimi Antonelli’s failure is also four tenths clear of Charles Leclerc in third, whilst Lewis Hamilton is in fourth for Ferrari.

Russell is looking fast at the moment.

26 minutes to go: Lock-up for Leclerc as fast runs begin

Charles Leclerc has a lock-up into Turn 1 with the Ferrari driver arriving to the corner with too much speed after gaining Overtake Mode and a nice tow for extra measure.

Max Verstappen has now nipped ahead of Kimi Antonelli’s time to become the fastest driver overall as the qualifying simulations begin.

Who will be quickest over one lap?

30 minutes to go: Issue for Piastri?

McLaren call Oscar Piastri into the pits to check an issue with his brakes before they then appear to change their mind and keep the Australian.

Piastri reports he can see damage around the Baku City Circuit but replays have not shown him hitting the wall so it’s a rather unusual situation.

Kimi Antonelli continues to lead the times for the moment, but he is out of the session and won’t for much longer.

Position	Driver	Team	Time
1	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	1:46.265
2	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	+0.100
3	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	+0.247
4	George Russell	Mercedes	+0.336
5	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.356
6	Nico Hulkenberg	Audi	+0.656
7	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	+0.762
8	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+1.142
9	Franco Colapinto	Alpine	+1.258
10	Lando Norris	McLaren	+1.411
11	Isack Hadjar	Red Bull	+1.608
12	Arvid Lindblad	Racing Bulls	+1.681
13	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	+2.018
14	Oliver Bearman	Haas	+2.244
15	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	+2.253
16	Esteban Ocon	Haas	+3.041
17	Sergio Perez	Cadillac	+3.047
18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+3.170
19	Alex Albon	Williams	+3.314
20	Valtteri Bottas	Cadillac	+4.771
21	Gabriel Bortoleto	Audi	+5.634
22	Carlos Sainz	Williams	+6.872

33 minutes to go: Russell narrow avoids the wall!

George Russell uses all of his experience to avoid the barriers at the Baku City Circuit as the Mercedes driver bails out at the very last second!

The Brit got too deep on the brakes into Turn 4 and initially tried to commit to the corner but aborted at the final opportunity to dodge ruining his suspension.

Max Verstappen has a big lock-up into Turn 1 too on his soft tyre run and heads down an escape road too for Red Bull.

36 minutes to go: Kimi Antonelli OUT of FP1

Kimi Antonelli has stopped at the side of the track and he is out of Free Practice 1 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a mechanical failure on his Mercedes.

He appears to have lost the hydraulics as he hops out of the car and disconnects the steering wheel to open his weekend with valuable lost time and disappointment!

At least the failure happened in FP1 and not Qualifying or the Grand Prix though.

45 minutes to go: Sainz with his brakes on fire!

Carlos Sainz comes back into his Williams garage with his brakes on fire as his team of mechanics immediately set about trying to cool the flames.

Williams have brought a lighter chassis to the Azerbaijan GP in their bid to move up the Formula 1 order – but that is a less than ideal way to start the weekend.

Kimi Antonelli meanwhile goes fastest overall with a 1:46.265.

Position	Driver	Team	Time
1	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	1:46.265
2	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	+0.247
3	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.356
4	George Russell	Mercedes	+0.901
5	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+1.142
6	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	+1.275
7	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	+1.369
8	Lando Norris	McLaren	+1.411
9	Isack Hadjar	Red Bull	+1.608
10	Nico Hulkenberg	Audi	+2.060
11	Sergio Perez	Cadillac	+3.047
12	Esteban Ocon	Haas	+3.466
13	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	+3.769
14	Franco Colapinto	Alpine	+4.140
15	Oliver Bearman	Haas	+4.400
16	Alex Albon	Williams	+4.559
17	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+6.361
18	Carlos Sainz	Williams	+6.872
19	Arvid Lindblad	Racing Bulls	No Time
20	Gabriel Bortoleto	Audi	No Time
21	Valtteri Bottas	Cadillac	No Time
22	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	No Time

50 minutes to go: Brake pulling issues for Verstappen

Brake pulling is when a Formula 1 car does not slow down evenly in a straight line, causing it to move to either the left or right under braking.

It can happen if there is a difference in brake temperatures, brake pressure, tyre grip or setup between the two sides of the car and can be a frustrating issue.

Drivers may report it during practice because it can make the car unpredictable and affect their confidence when approaching corners and that’s what Max Verstappen and Alex Albon have just done.

55 minutes to go: Mercedes cars finally exit the pits

Kimi Antonelli and George Russell now head out of the pit lane for Mercedes to officially get their own Azerbaijan GP weekends underway as both chase victory.

The Silver Arrows have now won twice in a row and the long straights of the Baku City Circuit should suit their field-leading power unit on Saturday.

That means all of our drivers are out there, but Arvid Lindblad, Gabriel Bortoleto, Valtteri Bottas and Pierre Gasly have no time on the board so far.

GREEN FLAG: FP1 begins in Baku

Free Practice 1 begins at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Arvid Lindblad leads the cars out of the pits for Racing Bulls, followed closely by an Cadillac and then Charles Leclerc.

Leclerc may take an engine penalty at this weekend around the Baku City Circuit as a consequence of his crash at the Italian GP – which would be a blow to the Monegasque driver.

He is fast around these narrow streets, and this weekend should mark one of his best chances of winning a race if he avoids the power unit penalty.

How does FP1 work?

FP1 gives teams their first opportunity to assess car performance around the Baku City Circuit, with drivers working through different setups, tyre compounds and run plans.

The headline times are not necessarily representative of the competitive order, as teams can be running different fuel loads and programs throughout the session.

What to watch:

• Car performance: How the teams look around Baku
• Tyre usage: Which compounds are being tested
• Setup: Changes teams make throughout the session
• Lap times: Useful, but not necessarily representative of qualifying pace

Why is FP1 on Thursday?

The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix is on a Saturday because Formula 1 moved the entire Baku weekend forward by one day to avoid a clash with Azerbaijan’s national Remembrance Day on Sunday, September 27.

The FIA and Formula 1 agreed to the change in June 2025 after a request from the Azerbaijan race promoter and relevant government authorities. The original date was Sunday, September 27; the race was moved to Saturday, September 26.

Sunday’s service is commemorating Azerbaijani military personnel who died during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. So the weekend looks like this:

• Thursday, September 24: FP1 and FP2
• Friday, September 25: FP3 and Qualifying
• Saturday, September 26: Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Welcome to the Blog!

It’s almost time to get the weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix underway as Kimi Antonelli looks to take another major step towards the Formula 1 title.

The 20-year-old has a commanding gap to George Russell and Lewis Hamilton behind and looks set to become the youngest world champion in the history of the sport – but can his rivals strike back?

We’ll find out later on, but first up is Free Practice 1.

Antonelli arrives in Baku with 81-point championship lead

Antonelli strengthened his grip on the Drivers’ Championship with another victory in Madrid, becoming the first Formula 1 winner at the new Madring. The Italian now has 292 points, compared with 211 for Russell, after eight wins from the opening 14 Grands Prix.

His form has turned the championship increasingly in Mercedes’ favour, but Baku has a history of punishing even the smallest mistakes. The close walls, changing grip levels and enormous braking demands mean a single error can quickly transform an otherwise strong weekend.

FP1 will therefore be about building confidence rather than immediately chasing the stopwatch. Antonelli needs to understand how the W17 behaves over Baku’s bumps, through the slow corners and under braking from some of the highest speeds of the season.

The championship leader has repeatedly insisted that he does not want to change his approach because of the points advantage. That mindset will be important on a circuit where excessive caution can cost lap time, but over-commitment can leave a car in the barriers.

Russell needs response after difficult Madrid weekend

Russell begins the Azerbaijan GP under increasing pressure to reverse the momentum inside Mercedes after losing further ground in Spain. He finished fifth at Madring while Antonelli took victory, increasing the championship deficit from 66 to 81 points.

The British driver has maintained that he will continue fighting until the title is mathematically out of reach. Baku offers an immediate opportunity to respond at a circuit where confidence under braking and precision through the slower sections are particularly valuable.

Russell initially looked strong in Madrid when he topped FP1, only for Antonelli to take control as the weekend progressed. Avoiding a similar pattern in Azerbaijan will require Russell to establish a strong baseline from the opening laps.

The battle between the two Mercedes drivers should therefore remain one of the central themes of FP1. With Antonelli continuing to win regularly, Russell needs weekends where he can take points away rather than simply limit the damage.

Hamilton and Ferrari chase stronger result

Hamilton arrives in Azerbaijan third in the championship on 191 points, 101 behind Antonelli and 20 behind Russell. The Ferrari driver endured a disappointing Spanish GP after brake problems effectively ended his hopes before the race had properly developed.

Ferrari have nevertheless shown flashes of front-running speed throughout the second half of the season. Charles Leclerc finished fourth in Madrid and has repeatedly demonstrated strong qualifying pace on street circuits.

Baku has also traditionally been a venue where Leclerc has excelled over one lap. The Monegasque holds the official circuit lap record and has repeatedly been among the strongest qualifiers around the Azerbaijan street circuit.

The challenge for Ferrari will be balancing straight-line speed with enough downforce to give both drivers confidence through the slower sections. Too much wing leaves a car vulnerable on Baku’s enormous flat-out run, while too little can make the technical middle sector difficult to manage.

Verstappen and Red Bull welcome Hadjar back

Max Verstappen heads into Baku sixth in the championship after finishing second to Antonelli at Madring. Red Bull Racing have struggled for consistency in 2026, but the Dutchman remains capable of challenging when the RB22 operates in the right window.

The bigger change this weekend comes in the second car, where Isack Hadjar returns after recovering from the wrist injury that kept him out of Zandvoort, Monza and Madrid. His return restores Red Bull Racing’s regular 2026 line-up for the first time since Hungary.

Hadjar faces a demanding comeback because Baku offers very little margin for easing back into Formula 1 machinery. The walls are close throughout much of the lap, while repeated heavy braking places substantial physical demands on the driver.

FP1 will therefore be particularly valuable for the Frenchman as he rebuilds confidence and assesses how his wrist responds under load. Clean mileage is likely to matter more than his position on the timing screens during the opening hour.

Lawson returns to Racing Bulls

Liam Lawson returns to Racing Bulls after spending the previous three rounds alongside Verstappen at Red Bull Racing. Yuki Tsunoda consequently returns to reserve duties after filling Lawson’s seat during that period.

The New Zealander performed solidly during his temporary promotion and returns with additional experience of the senior team’s machinery and working practices. He will now look to use that momentum alongside Arvid Lindblad.

Baku can create opportunities for midfield teams because confidence and straight-line efficiency often matter as much as conventional downforce levels. A strong FP1 could therefore put Racing Bulls in contention for another productive weekend.

The opening session will also give Lawson time to readjust to a different car after three races in the RB22. Even small changes in braking feel or steering response matter considerably around a street circuit.

McLaren look to rebound after missing Madrid win

Lando Norris left Madrid with third place after a Virtual Safety Car disrupted his attempt to convert pole position into victory for McLaren. He remains fourth in the championship on 186 points, only five behind Hamilton.

Norris has been one of the strongest performers since the summer break, winning in Hungary and the Netherlands before remaining competitive at Monza and Madring. Baku now presents another opportunity for the MCL40 to demonstrate its improved all-round performance.

Oscar Piastri will also be looking for a cleaner weekend after falling behind his teammate in recent rounds. The Australian remains seventh in the standings but has shown enough speed to threaten the leading group when McLaren find the right setup.

Straight-line efficiency will be a major consideration during FP1. The cars spend a huge proportion of the lap at full throttle, making drag particularly costly along the run from Turn 16 to Turn 1.

Baku presents one of F1’s most unusual technical tests

The Baku City Circuit measures 6.003km and combines characteristics rarely found together on the same Formula 1 lap. Drivers move from the narrow Old City section into one of the longest full-throttle sequences anywhere on the calendar.

The section around Turns 8 to 12 is particularly unforgiving, with the circuit narrowing dramatically as it passes the historic castle walls. Precision matters more than outright aggression because even a small mistake can leave a driver with nowhere to go.

At the opposite extreme, the final sector is almost entirely flat out. Cars accelerate from Turn 16 before carrying enormous speed through the final bends and along the lengthy start-finish straight.

That creates a difficult aerodynamic compromise for engineers. Teams want minimal drag for the straights but still need enough downforce to give drivers confidence under braking and through the slower corners.

New asphalt adds another FP1 variable

Parts of the circuit around Turns 2, 3 and 4 have been resurfaced ahead of the 2026 Azerbaijan GP. The changes are not expected to transform tyre behaviour, but grip levels should remain relatively low during Thursday’s opening running.

Track evolution is consequently expected to be significant throughout the weekend. Rubber laid down during FP1 and FP2 should gradually improve grip, meaning early lap times may become obsolete quickly.

That can complicate setup work because engineers need to distinguish between improvements created by the car and those produced naturally by the circuit. Consistent back-to-back running will therefore be more informative than simply chasing the fastest time.

Baku’s relatively smooth and low-abrasion asphalt should keep overall tyre wear low. Graining remains possible during the opening sessions while the surface is still green, particularly on the softer compounds.

Pirelli bring C3, C4 and C5 tyres

Pirelli have selected the C3 as the Hard, C4 as the Medium and C5 as the Soft for the Azerbaijan GP. It is the same three-compound allocation recently used at Monza, another circuit where long full-throttle sections place unusual demands on tyre temperature.

Temperature management could become one of FP1’s biggest technical themes. Baku’s lengthy run from the final corner to Turn 1 allows the tyres to cool considerably before drivers arrive at one of the heaviest braking zones on the lap.

That can increase the risk of front-wheel lock-ups, especially during early running when track grip remains low. Drivers will need to judge tyre preparation carefully before beginning qualifying-style laps.

The Soft should provide useful one-lap data, while the Medium is likely to feature prominently during longer runs. Teams may use less of the Hard given the low degradation expected from Baku’s relatively smooth surface.

Wind could complicate opening practice

Thursday is expected to remain warm and dry, with temperatures approaching 28C during the day. Rain is not currently a major concern, allowing teams to focus on conventional dry-weather programmes.

Wind could prove much more significant because Baku sits beside the Caspian Sea and is regularly exposed to strong gusts. Sudden changes in wind direction can destabilise cars under braking or alter the aerodynamic balance through high-speed sections.

The effect can be especially dramatic when cars emerge from between buildings into more exposed areas. Drivers may experience significantly different conditions from one lap to the next even when the track remains completely dry.

That uncertainty makes confidence particularly important. FP1 should give drivers their first opportunity to understand where the 2026 cars are most vulnerable to gusts around the lap.

Heavy braking puts focus on front tyres

Baku features several major braking events from very high speed, including the approaches to Turns 1 and 3. Stable braking performance will therefore be one of the most important setup priorities throughout Thursday.

The long straights can leave the front tyres cooler than drivers would ideally like before those braking zones. A front lock-up can immediately destroy a lap or, in the worst case, send a car into the barriers.

Brake temperatures also need careful management. The stop-start nature of the first two sectors repeatedly loads the brakes before the long flat-out section finally provides an opportunity for cooling.

FP1 should reveal which teams have found the best compromise. Drivers who can attack the braking zones confidently without locking tyres could gain significant time.

Williams bring planned Baku upgrade

Williams arrive in Azerbaijan with an upgrade package that has been planned for this weekend for several months. The team sit ninth in the Constructors’ Championship and need improvements if they are to move back towards the front of the midfield.

Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon will therefore have an important FP1 programme as engineers evaluate the new components. Correlation between wind-tunnel predictions and track performance will matter more than headline lap times during the opening runs.

Baku should at least suit some traditional Williams strengths because straight-line efficiency has often been one of the team’s better characteristics. The long full-throttle sections provide an opportunity to exploit that advantage if the upgrades also improve performance through the slower corners.

The midfield battle remains tight enough that even a modest gain could be significant. Williams trail Audi by only six points heading into the weekend.

What to watch in Azerbaijan GP FP1

• Antonelli’s first running after extending his championship lead to 81 points
• Russell’s response as he attempts to keep the title fight alive
• Hamilton and Leclerc’s early pace for Ferrari
• Norris and Piastri’s performance for McLaren
• Verstappen’s chances of challenging at a circuit where he has won before
• Hadjar’s Formula 1 return after three races out with a wrist injury
• Lawson’s return to Racing Bulls
• Williams’ new upgrade package
• Track evolution on the relatively low-grip street surface
• New asphalt around Turns 2, 3 and 4
• Front tyre temperatures before Baku’s major braking zones
• Lock-up risk at Turns 1 and 3
• Soft tyre performance on the C5 compound
• Long-run pace on the Medium tyre
• Straight-line speed along Baku’s enormous full-throttle section
• Aerodynamic compromise between drag and downforce
• Wind gusts around the exposed parts of the circuit
• Traffic management around the narrow Old City section
• Driver confidence close to Baku’s unforgiving barriers

FP1 begins at 12:30 local time, with FP2 following at 16:00 as Formula 1’s Azerbaijan weekend starts a day earlier than usual. The opening hour should provide the first indication of whether Mercedes remain the team to beat or whether Baku’s unusual characteristics can pull Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull Racing closer.

With Antonelli carrying an 81-point championship lead, Russell needing a response and Hadjar returning to the grid after three races away, there is plenty at stake before anyone even begins thinking about qualifying. Stay with Total-Motorsport.com for live lap times, tyre information, technical updates, driver feedback and all the key moments from FP1 at the 2026 F1 Azerbaijan GP.