From Sky Sports · · 1m 40s
George Russell Wins Azerbaijan GP
George Russell's Grand Slam win cuts Kimi Antonelli's F1 title lead to 66 points.
In brief
George Russell's Grand Slam win cuts Kimi Antonelli's F1 title lead to 66 points. George Russell's Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory reduced Kimi Antonelli's championship lead to 66 points with eight races remaining. Originally reported by Sky Sports.
George Russell wins Azerbaijan GP
George Russell drove superbly to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, reducing his Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli's championship lead to 66 points with eight races remaining.
Russell's Grand Slam performance
Russell achieved his first Grand Slam in Formula 1, taking pole position, leading from lights-to-flag, and setting the fastest lap of the race.
Russell's confidence boost
Russell said he felt his performance confirmed a corner had been turned, gaining confidence after adapting to F1's new 2026 cars.
Close race against Verstappen
Russell beat Max Verstappen by one tenth of a second in a race with two Safety Car interruptions, the smallest margin since 2002.
Pundits praise Russell
Jamie Chadwick called Russell's performance confirmation he has raised his level, while Karun Chandhok highlighted his ability to fend off Verstappen under pressure.
Antonelli's recent struggles
Antonelli missed significant practice time with technical issues, crashing out of qualifying to leave himself 16th on the grid.
Russell's next challenges
Russell faces a grid penalty for engine changes before the season ends, but proving he can match Antonelli's pace would be a psychological boost.
Antonelli's perspective
Antonelli admitted he had been underperforming recently but now feels confident he can compete for every race, not just the championship.
What happens next
The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia follows, with Singapore, United States, Mexico and Brazil races completing the season.
The key point
George Russell's Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory reduced Kimi Antonelli's championship lead to 66 points with eight races remaining.
