> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.the-race.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Antonelli crashes in Baku qualifying as Russell takes crushing pole - URL: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-azerbaijan-gp-qualifying-antonelli-crash-russell-crushing-pole/ - Published: 2026-09-25T13:27:29.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-25T13:41:37.000Z - Description: George Russell took Azerbaijan GP pole by eight tenths of a second as Mercedes F1 team-mate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli crashed in Q1 - Author: Jack Benyon - Tags: Formula 1, #azerbaijan-grand-prix, #george-russell, #mercedes, #primary_homepage_feature George Russell took Azerbaijan Grand Prix pole by eight tenths with a sensational lap, a massive boost given his Mercedes Formula 1 team-mate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli crashed and is due to start 16th in Baku. The big drama unfolded with seven minutes left in Q1 as Antonelli whacked the inside wall at Turn 1 which immediately pointed the front left wheel in the wrong direction and punctured his tyre. > ⏪ Rewind to Antonelli's moment at Turn 1 that ended his qualifying[#F1](https://x.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=the-race.com) [#AzerbaijanGP](https://x.com/hashtag/AzerbaijanGP?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=the-race.com) [pic.twitter.com/3Nee1nEO7D](https://t.co/3Nee1nEO7D?ref=the-race.com) > > — Formula 1 (@F1) [September 25, 2026](https://x.com/F1/status/2103461036347064380?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=the-race.com) Multiple exchanges followed as Antonelli wanted to continue and try to bring the car back to the Mercedes garage, but his engineer Peter Bonnington told Antonelli to stop the car as there would be no chance to repair it even if he made it back. Antonelli eventually pulled over and had to watch the remainder of Q1 through a fence. He had been sixth when the accident happened but fell all the way to 15th with late improvements, which was at least enough to secure passage to Q2 - meaning he is due to start 16th, pending any grid penalties. Left to fend for himself as the only Mercedes in the pole fight, Russell set benchmarks on his second Q3 run relatively early in the session, starting the final runs with a 0.435s advantage over Charles Leclerc. He extended that to 0.946s before Leclerc completed his final run, but the Ferrari drive could only reduce the gap to 0.837s. Only three cars were within a second of Russell on the day. Oscar Piastri beat McLaren team-mate Lando Norris on the second-to-last run and then Norris had a massive lock-up at Turn 3 on his final pole shot to wipe him out of contention, allowing Piastri to take third - just one thousandth behind Leclerc in the end - ahead of one of the stars of the session, Isack Hadjar. In his first qualifying session since injuring his wrist and missing the first three races after the summer break, Hadjar repeatedly traded fast times with team-mate Max Verstappen through qualifying and only missed out on third thanks to Piastri's late improvement. Norris took fifth, his previous lap good enough to beat a struggling Lewis Hamilton, who complained of tyre-warm-up woes throughout qualifying in the second Ferrari. Alpine driver Pierre Gasly beat Verstappen to seventh - it looked like FP3 pacesetter Verstappen had to bail on his final flying lap for a yellow flag and reported after the session he had been down on power. The upgraded Williams of Carlos Sainz delivered the stunning feat of reaching Q3 for the first time this year, in what must be a massive boost back at Williams's Grove factory after such a rough first part of the year. Sainz's contribution can't be underestimated given Alex Albon was 13th in Q2. Franco Colapinto rounded out the top 10 after a lock-up at Turn 15 hampered his chances. ## Haas's missed opportunity Haas and Racing Bulls both lost their pair of cars in Q2, with the Alpines and Sainz making it through instead. Ollie Bearman was knocked out at the very-last moment by Colapinto and had to settle for 11th, awaiting his first appearance in Q3 since the second round of the season in China in March. His team-mate Esteban Ocon appeared to fare even worse as he'd regularly led Bearman and even run in the top 10 this weekend and in qualifying, but he had a lap deleted for track limits after going off at Turn 2 with his last flying run. Liam Lawson and Albon split Bearman and Ocon, Albon a costly 0.372s adrift of team-mate Sainz, with Arvid Lindblad suffering a lap deletion for track limits at Turn 1, in 15th, ahead of Antonelli. ## Audi's upgraded car exits in Q1 On a weekend where it has brought a significant upgrade package to Baku, Audi had two cars out in Q1 for the first time this year - a nightmare for a team that has regularly challenged to lead the midfield this season. Hulkenberg had a small chance to escape Q1 before Fernando Alonso visiting the Turn 15 runoff caused a yellow flag that hampered Hulkenberg's chances. Alonso followed the two Audis, with Sergio Perez splitting the Aston Martins. Some may have expected the Ferrari-powered Cadillac to have an advantage over the Aston Martin-Honda, but Cadillac's apparent plan to give Perez a tow failed when Bottas had to go to the weighbridge, and Perez also had to abandon his final lap due to Alonso's off. Bottas had his final laptime deleted as he set it under double-waved yellows, and completed the order in 22nd. ## Qualifying result 1 George Russell (Mercedes) 1m42.526s 2 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.837s 3 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.838s 4 Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +0.974s 5 Lando Norris (McLaren) +1.146s 6 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +1.332s 7 Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1.521s 8 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +1.555s 9 Carlos Sainz (Williams) +2.040s 10 Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +2.437s 11 Ollie Bearman (Haas) +0.092s to Q3 12 Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +0.177s 13 Alexander Albon (Williams) +0.318s 14 Esteban Ocon (Haas) +0.333s 15 Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +0.423s 16 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) no time 17 Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) +0.295s to Q2 18 Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) +0.416s 19 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +1.089s 20 Sergio Perez (Cadillac) +1.154s 21 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +1.833s 22 Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) +2.497s