Russell edges out Verstappen to win in Baku, Antonelli settles for fifth
George Russell wins Azerbaijan Grand Prix for eighth career F1 victory and first since the Austrian GP in June.
George Russell held off Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen to complete a lights-to-flag win in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for Mercedes, with teammate Kimi Antonelli limiting the damage to his championship lead by finishing fifth.
Russell took the flag 0.196 seconds ahead of the flying Dutchman, who started eighth but crossed the line nearly side-by-side with his Mercedes rival after two safety car phases turned a cruise into a fight for survival for the Briton.
Frenchman Isack Hadjar, who was handed a contract extension by Red Bull earlier this week and had missed the last three races with a wrist injury, completed the podium on his racing return.
It allowed him to close the gap in the overall standings to Italian championship leader Antonelli by 15 points to 66 after 15 rounds.