Russell denies Verstappen in Azerbaijan GP punctuated by two safety cars
The Race • • sports
Key Points:
- George Russell secured his first Formula 1 victory since the Austria GP by narrowly beating Max Verstappen by 0.196 seconds at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, overcoming early challenges and safety car interruptions.
- Championship leader Kimi Antonelli recovered impressively from 16th to finish fifth, benefiting significantly from two safety cars and making steady, risk-averse progress throughout the race.
- A chaotic restart involving Alpine teammates Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly, along with other drivers, disrupted the race order and eliminated potential double points for Alpine.
- Max Verstappen started eighth and fought hard throughout the race, setting the fastest lap and maintaining pressure on Russell until the final laps, ultimately finishing second.
- Isack Hadjar achieved a remarkable third place after returning from injury, while Charles Leclerc struggled for pace and finished fourth, with other notable drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz finishing within the top ten.
