George Russell delivered an absolute masterclass at the Baku City Circuit on Saturday, converting a dominant pole position into a stunning victory. It was a flawless weekend for the Mercedes driver, who topped Thursday practice, claimed pole, and then fended off a charging Max Verstappen to take his third win of the 2026 season.
That victory did some serious work in the title fight, cutting team mate Kimi Antonelli’s championship lead by 15 points. Russell arrived in Azerbaijan sitting 81 points behind Antonelli, but that gap is now down to 66. Meanwhile, Antonelli staged a remarkable recovery from 16th on the grid to finish fifth following a dramatic Q1 accident.
This marks Russell's first Grand Prix victory since Austria in June, bringing his seasonal tally to three against Antonelli's eight. The win didn't come without a serious late-race scare, however. A yellow flag called for Valtteri Bottas’ crash forced Russell to lift off the power, and when he got back on the throttle, he lost his turbo and consequently his power.
Max Verstappen nearly caught him right at the line in a heart-stopping finish. Reflecting on the close call, Russell admitted it would have been a real shame to lose it there, but ultimately celebrated an incredible weekend from start to finish.
Crediting a new driving style adopted since the summer break, Russell feels he is finally going from strength to strength and getting his confidence back. With crunch time arriving in the championship, the Briton made his ambitious game plan crystal clear: win every race. And if he keeps delivering performances like this one, he'll walk away happy no matter how the rest of the season shakes out.
