# Russell wins as Baku nearly delivers drama

> George Russell dominated Azerbaijan's street circuit, but a late engine failure almost handed victory to Max Verstappen in a race marked by crashes and controversy.
- Title: Russell wins as Baku nearly delivers drama · Ars Technica
- Summary: George Russell dominated Azerbaijan's street circuit, but a late engine failure almost handed victory to Max Verstappen in a race marked by crashes and…
- Keywords: george russell, formula 1, baku, azerbaijan, max verstappen, mercedes, red bull, mclaren, ferrari, kimi antonelli, oscar piastri, franco colapinto
- Source: Ars Technica — https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/09/f1-in-azerbaijan-that-was-almost-a-close-run-thing
- Published: 2026-09-28T17:41:35+00:00
- Read time: 3 min
- Topics: george russell, formula 1, baku, azerbaijan, max verstappen, mercedes, red bull, mclaren, ferrari, kimi antonelli, oscar piastri, franco colapinto
## Russell dominates Baku streets
George Russell led from start to finish at Azerbaijan's challenging street circuit, setting pole by nearly a second and controlling the race despite a late turbocharger failure in his Mercedes.
## Verstappen nearly steals it
Max Verstappen's Red Bull closed to within two-tenths of a second by the checkered flag after Russell's engine trouble, but it wasn't enough to overtake the Mercedes driver.
## Antonelli's qualifying disaster
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli misjudged his front grip at turn one in qualifying, clipped the wall with his left front tire, and had to start from 16th after damage to his car.
## Antonelli fights back to fifth
Starting 16th, Antonelli recovered to fifth place but was unhappy with his performance, describing it like that of a grandmother after his earlier Monza win from 19th.
## Hadjar impresses on return
Isack Hadjar returned to Red Bull for the first time since the summer break after injuring his hand, out-qualifying his four-time world champion teammate and finishing third.
## Ferrari's title hopes fade
Charles Leclerc finished fourth and Lewis Hamilton sixth as Ferrari's engine upgrade from Monza failed to deliver. Court intrigue is brewing over team principal Fred Vasseur's future.
## McLaren's gearing problem
McLaren was the second-slowest car in a straight line due to shorter gearing locked in before the season. The 2026 rules allow only one gear ratio change all year, leaving the team hamstrung.
## Battery limits top speed
The 2026 hybrid power units can only store enough energy for 11 to 12 seconds of full electric motor power. Once the battery runs out, cars rely on the V6 engine until recharging.
## Piastri's costly mistake
Oscar Piastri ran second until lap 35 when a safety car restart saw him jumped by Verstappen. Harassed by Hadjar into turn one, he locked both front tires and fell to 14th place.
## Colapinto's crash ruins Alpine
Franco Colapinto lost control at the lap 35 safety car restart and hit both Lando Norris and his own teammate Pierre Gasly, eliminating both Alpine cars from the points.
## Argentine fans cross the line
Colapinto's fans have sent death threats to drivers who beat him, including Pierre Gasly after Spain. Team boss Flavio Briatore threatened to ban Colapinto from media if the abuse continues.
## Pattern of toxic fandom
Two years ago, fellow Argentine Augustin Canapino was benched and fired after his fans sent death threats to another driver. Colapinto has an opportunity to handle it differently.
## Williams finally gets new chassis
Williams debuted lighter chassis at Baku after the original car was overweight by up to 70 pounds. Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz can now ballast for handling instead of fighting excess weight.
## Sainz scores in new car
Carlos Sainz made it to Q3 and finished tenth to score the final point in Williams' new chassis, representing real progress after a torrid year for the team.
## Albon's wind-assisted crash
Alex Albon was caught out on lap 29 by a gust of wind that exacerbated Williams' tendency to lift a front tire under braking, causing the safety car that triggered lap 35 drama.
## Singapore night race next
Formula One resumes in two weeks for its night race in Singapore after the Baku street circuit delivered drama, crashes, and a dominant Mercedes performance.
## Key takeaway

Russell's commanding performance showed Mercedes' strength in 2026, but McLaren's speed disadvantage and Ferrari's struggles are reshaping the championship picture.