Story perspectives

Russell takes Azerbaijan pole as Antonelli crashes Turn 1

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 10:13 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Russell Takes Pole

George Russell secured pole for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a 1:42.526 lap.
His time was 0.837 seconds faster than Charles Leclerc, the season’s largest margin.
Kimi Antonelli crashed in Turn 1, damaging front-left suspension.
He will start 16th despite leading Russell by 81 points after 14 rounds.
The race will run on Saturday 26 September because Azerbaijan’s Memorial Day moves the event forward.

Summary

Antonelli Blames Wind

Antonelli blamed a sudden headwind increase for excess front-end grip that caused his Turn 1 wall impact.
Earlier Thursday practice was disrupted by a hydraulic leak, forcing Antonelli to miss significant track time.
Race engineer Peter Bonnington told Antonelli to park the damaged Mercedes instead of returning to the pit.
Former champion Jacques Villeneuve said Antonelli could climb back through the field despite the setback.

History

Historical Context

In 2008, Felipe Massa took pole and won the Turkish Grand Prix on 11 May, his third consecutive victory there, after a first-lap safety-car was deployed following a collision. That early-race disruption echoes rookie Kimi Antonelli’s Turn 1 crash at the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where George Russell claimed pole, underscoring how incidents can overturn qualifying dominance.

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Russell Takes Pole

George Russell secured pole for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a 1:42.526 lap.
His time was 0.837 seconds faster than Charles Leclerc, the season’s largest margin.
Kimi Antonelli crashed in Turn 1, damaging front-left suspension.
He will start 16th despite leading Russell by 81 points after 14 rounds.
The race will run on Saturday 26 September because Azerbaijan’s Memorial Day moves the event forward.

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