At the Baku City Circuit, George Russell’s pre-qualifying prediction came true as Max Verstappen pushed him to the limit, finishing just 0.196 seconds behind in a thrilling Azerbaijan Grand Prix finale. Verstappen, however, said the gap was slightly misleading due to Russell suffering from turbo lag after lifting for Valtteri Bottas’ crash in Turn 15 under yellow flags. He explained that, had Russell not lost power, the gap would have been closer to one second throughout the last stint, a view Russell confirmed, noting his Mercedes power unit failed to deliver expected acceleration when he reapplied throttle.

Verstappen added that even starting from the front row likely wouldn’t have changed the outcome, as Russell’s pace would have made passing extremely difficult. He admitted he might have followed Russell better early on but believed the race dynamics would have remained similar, with both drivers pushing each other to the end. Despite the result, Verstappen said he enjoyed the closing laps more than any other race in 2026, citing minimal tyre degradation and the fun of pushing flat out, even if it meant kissing a few walls.

He acknowledged the risk involved in Baku’s tight layout but found it rewarding, especially given the season’s technical shortcomings.