Russell denies Verstappen in Azerbaijan GP punctuated by two safety cars

George Russell won the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 26, beating Max Verstappen by just 0.196 seconds in a race interrupted by two safety cars. Russell had built a 12-second lead before Alex Albon's crash on lap 31 of 51 neutralised his advantage, but he held on for victory. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli recovered from 16th on the grid to finish fifth, aided by the safety car periods.