Full Breakdown
Antonelli’s Hydraulic Failure Clouds Baku Practice Amid Championship Lead
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Hydraulic Issue Halts Antonelli in FP1
During the opening free-practice session (FP1) for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Thursday, September 24, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli lost hydraulic pressure and stopped his W17 on the Baku City Circuit. The incident triggered a brief Virtual Safety Car and forced Antonelli to miss the remainder of the session after nine laps. His teammate George Russell set the fastest time of 1:45.387, four-tenths quicker than Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Background & Context: Title Race and Baku’s Unusual Schedule
Antonelli entered the weekend as the Drivers’ Championship leader, holding an 81-point advantage over Russell and more than 100 points ahead of his nearest rivals. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is being run on Saturday, September 26 to accommodate the nation’s Remembrance Day, compressing the programme to Thursday practice, Friday qualifying and a Saturday race.
Data & Statistics
- George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:45.387 (soft tyre) – fastest.
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.400 s.
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.404 s.
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +0.437 s.
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 5th, +0.878 s, stopped after hydraulic leak.
Official Statements & Responses
Mercedes technical director Toto Wolff described the W17 as “fragile” and warned that the championship cannot be considered decided while reliability issues persist.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I think probably my best race ever has been at this track and probably my worst race ever has been at this track, so always eventful,” — Oscar Piastri
- “Kimi just needs to do what he's doing,” — Max Verstappen
On-the-Ground Reports
Marshals arrived promptly after Antonelli’s car stopped, deploying a fire-extinguisher foam spray as a precaution. The spray unintentionally drenched Antonelli, creating a brief “extinguisher shower” while the car was recovered. No fire was reported, and Antonelli walked away unharmed.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Mercedes has confirmed a hydraulic loss but has not identified whether a pump, line or valve failed, leaving the cause uncertain ahead of the second practice session.
What’s Next
- Friday, September 25 – Qualifying (scheduled).
- Saturday, September 26 – Azerbaijan Grand Prix race (scheduled).
- Thursday, September 24 – Second practice begins at 13:00 UK (scheduled).
The weekend will test whether Antonelli can recover lost mileage and maintain his championship momentum, while Russell seeks to close the points gap before the season’s final sprint of races.