George Russell finally delivered his best performance of the season, winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Baku city circuit became the stage for the Mercedes driver to dominate from practice to the race. This victory not only confirmed his speed but also his composure under pressure, especially from Max Verstappen in the closing stages.
From the start of the weekend, Russell was impressive. He took a mighty pole position, capitalizing on Kimi Antonelli's mishap to secure the top spot. In the race, Russell controlled the pace from the first stint, then resisted Verstappen's charge in a high-intensity final stint. "This is the best level I've reached all season," Russell said after the race.
Verstappen had to settle for second after starting eighth. The Red Bull driver suffered a power unit deficit, forcing component changes before the race and compromising his qualifying strategy. Nevertheless, he came close to winning, finishing just a few tenths behind. Safety car luck helped him, but he still needed team orders to stay ahead of Isack Hadjar in the first stint. "I was finally able to show my speed in my relentless chase of Russell after the pit stops," Verstappen said.
Unfortunately, Carlos Sainz's race ended prematurely. The Ferrari driver was dominant in the midfield and running seventh when an incident with Franco Colapinto ended his race. Sainz claimed he had the best car balance and confidence he's experienced in Baku for some time. "An outstanding weekend ruined by someone else's mistake," he lamented.
Charles Leclerc returned after nearly two months away and immediately showed solid performance. Starting fourth, he finished third and felt that with an unbroken run in the car, he could have qualified on the front row. Leclerc was quicker than Verstappen in the first stint, albeit on softs while his teammate struggled on mediums. "Couldn't have been asked to do more on my first weekend back," he said.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris had to settle for fourth after starting from the front row. His second-place qualifying was an overachievement, but he couldn't maintain position in the race. Mercedes and Red Bull were still too strong, while Ferrari showed potential that wasn't fully realized.
The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be remembered as a race full of drama and a test for the drivers. The Baku circuit once again proved that its walls are unforgiving, and only the best survive. Russell emerged as the best, but his rivals won't stand still.
Baca Juga
Oscar Piastri gagal finis di zona poin setelah blunder di Tikungan 1 GP Azerbaijan. Peluang podium McLaren sirna, begini komentarnya.
Gary Anderson menilai Alpine harus tangani insiden Colapinto dan Gasly secara internal, bukan serahkan ke FIA. Baca analisis lengkapnya di sini.
Lando Norris dituduh munafik oleh Menlu Argentina Pablo Quirno terkait komentarnya yang menyerukan ban untuk Franco Colapinto setelah insiden di GP Azerbaijan.
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