Mercedes driver George Russell took a dominant pole-to-flag victory at the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, overcoming two safety cars to beat Max Verstappen and secure his third win of the season. Russell started on medium tyres and maintained his lead despite pressure from Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, who briefly challenged before tyre graining slowed the Red Bull driver. A safety car on lap 30 for Alex Albon’s crash triggered a pit stop flurry, with Russell retaining the lead.

Chaos resumed on the lap 36 restart when Franco Colapinto locked up and speared into Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, taking out Lando Norris and triggering another safety car after Arvid Lindblad spun Liam Lawson. Russell held off Verstappen in a drag race to the finish, with Hadjar joining them on the podium. Charles Leclerc finished fourth ahead of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who recovered from 16th on the grid after a qualifying crash.

Norris dropped to ninth after his Turn 1 error, while Antonelli narrowly avoided the multi-car melee.