2026 F1 Round 15 Azerbaijan Grand Prix race: Russell edges Verstappen as Hadjar makes the podium

George Russell beat Max Verstappen by 0.196s in the 2026 F1 Round 15 Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday, 26 September, claiming his third win of the season. Verstappen climbed from eighth on the grid to second, with Isack Hadjar third to put both Red Bulls on the podium. Two Safety Car periods reshaped the closing contest. The final results and table below follow the official FIA classification.

Early control and two restarts: how the contenders got into position

Starting from pole, Russell retained the lead while Oscar Piastri passed Charles Leclerc for second. Both Red Bulls subsequently passed Leclerc, before Verstappen moved ahead of Hadjar under team orders and set off after Piastri. According to F1’s official race report, Russell extended his advantage as the battle for second developed behind him, at one point leading Piastri by almost 10 seconds in the middle of the race.

Alexander Albon hit the wall at Turn 6, bringing out the Safety Car and prompting the leaders to pit for fresh tyres. At the first restart, Verstappen passed Piastri for second. Behind them, Franco Colapinto locked up and hit Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly, who in turn struck Lando Norris. All three retired, and the collision triggered a second Safety Car, leaving Russell to defend his lead at another restart.

When racing resumed again, Piastri locked up at Turn 1 while defending against Hadjar and went into the escape road, handing Hadjar third. Kimi Antonelli started 16th, worked his way into the top six through his recovery and changes ahead, then passed Lewis Hamilton with eight laps remaining to finish fifth. Leclerc was fourth and Hamilton sixth.

0.196s on the final lap: power response after a yellow flag shapes the sprint to the line

Verstappen continued to close on Russell in the final stages. In his post-race F1 interview, Russell said he had lifted for yellow flags following Valtteri Bottas’s accident, but the turbo did not respond promptly when he accelerated again, almost costing him the win before the line. Verstappen also noted that this delayed response gave him one last opportunity. He could not complete the pass and crossed the line 0.196s behind.

Midfield points and the final order: overtakes and penalties take effect

Arvid Lindblad overtook Esteban Ocon just before the finish to claim seventh by 0.030s. Ocon was eighth and Oliver Bearman ninth, giving Haas its first points since Monaco, with both cars in the top ten. Carlos Sainz passed Nico Hulkenberg with two laps remaining to take tenth, leaving Hulkenberg 11th and Liam Lawson 12th. Piastri finished 13th and Sergio Perez 14th. Gabriel Bortoleto received a 10-second penalty for overtaking under yellow flags and was classified 15th, 44.230s behind the winner.

Bottas crashed out late in the race but had completed 49 laps, so he was classified 16th with a DNF designation. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll retired with mechanical problems. They joined Colapinto, Gasly, Norris and Albon as the six unclassified drivers. With Norris retiring and Piastri finishing outside the points, McLaren left the race empty-handed.

INKA SPORTS analysis: Safety Cars changed the opportunities; pace and execution decided the outcome

The time advantage Russell built early in the race was compressed during the Safety Car periods. The closing battle therefore depended on whether he could retain his position at the restarts and who was behind him. Verstappen’s move into second at the first restart enabled him to pressure the leader directly. Both Red Bulls had already passed Leclerc and joined the fight for second before the Safety Car, showing that their challenge for victory and double podium had a foundation in their earlier race pace. Piastri’s mistake then changed the occupant of third place. Separating those phases makes it possible to recognise both Red Bull’s competitiveness and the influence of late events. The final-lap power response further reduced the finishing margin; 0.196s cannot directly represent the average pace difference between the two cars throughout the race.

Midfield points were also decided in two steps: retirements ahead opened positions, then the remaining drivers continued to determine their distribution through attack and defence. Lindblad rose from 15th on the grid to seventh, earning the final position by passing Ocon just before the finish. Sainz started 14th and finished tenth, securing the final point with his late pass on Hulkenberg. Both examples show that incidents created opportunities, but overtaking on track still determined the reward. Haas’s double points finish reflects its ability to convert this race’s opportunities into results; subsequent races must show whether it can sustain that performance.

Summary

Baku transformed a race controlled by Russell early on into a direct fight for victory after the restarts. Mercedes held on to the win, both Red Bulls maintained the pressure, and late overtakes settled midfield points. The 0.196s margin records the result; the restart position changes, each driver’s race progression and the final-lap power feedback together explain why victory remained in doubt to the line. For more on the late battle and Piastri’s race, see our review of the fight for victory and McLaren post-race analysis.