George Russell held off a charging Max Verstappen to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but only just.
Starting from pole, Russell controlled most of the race before two Safety Car periods brought Verstappen right back into contention. The Red Bull driver had started eighth but fought his way up to second and launched a late attack on the Mercedes.
Verstappen came within striking distance on the final lap, but Russell held his nerve to take the chequered flag just 0.196 seconds ahead. It was Russell’s third win of the 2026 season and his first since Austria in June.
Kimi Antonelli recovered from 16th on the grid to finish fifth, limiting the damage to his championship lead. Russell has now cut the gap from 81 points to 66 with 15 rounds completed.
Russell wins. Verstappen almost steals it.
