Mercedes' George Russell held off a late challenge from Red Bull's Max Verstappen to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after two safety car periods intensified the race. Russell dominated early while Verstappen climbed from eighth, but got stuck behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri. Two safety cars bunched the field, putting Verstappen on Russell's tail for an 11-lap chase.

Russell maintained his lead despite pressure, winning by just under 0.2 seconds after a final-lap energy deployment issue left him vulnerable. Verstappen closed to within 0.196 seconds at the line—the closest green-flag finish since 2002. Russell's win cut his teammate Kimi Antonelli's championship lead to 66 points.

Isack Hadjar secured third for Red Bull on his return from a broken wrist. Russell praised his team's belief during a tough period, calling the win 'amazing'. The race featured early promise for Piastri, a mid-race stalemate, and multiple incidents including crashes by Alex Albon, Franco Colapinto, and Valtteri Bottas that triggered safety cars.