Russell holds off Verstappen to win in Baku, Antonelli fifth

George Russell won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku with a lights-to-flag performance, finishing 0.196 seconds ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Verstappen started eighth but crossed the line nearly alongside Russell after two safety car phases turned the race into a high-stakes battle. Russell’s Mercedes teammate, Kimi Antonelli, limited the championship impact by taking fifth. Frenchman Isack Hadjar, who had received a Red Bull contract extension earlier this week and missed the previous three races with a wrist injury, returned to claim the podium’s third step. The victory marked Russell’s eighth career F1 win and his first since the Austrian Grand Prix at the end of June. Russell closed in on Italian championship leader Antonelli, cutting the gap to 15 points.