Kimi Antonelli limits a difficult Baku weekend to fifth after early floor damage
Kimi Antonelli finished fifth in Azerbaijan after beginning the race from 16th and carrying floor damage from an early incident. He called it his worst weekend of the season but still recovered a useful result, reducing rather than surrendering the points available to Mercedes. The damage changed the car's balance and made the comeback a management exercise: Antonelli had to pass slower cars while protecting a platform that no longer behaved as it had in the pre-race setup.
Max Verstappen turns eighth on the grid into second place in Baku
Max Verstappen recovered from eighth on the grid to finish second in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, missing the victory after a race built around overtaking and tyre management. He described trying every available option as the gap remained close, but the final opportunity never became a clean move for the lead. The result converted a difficult starting position into major points while also showing why straight-line speed alone does not make passing simple on Baku's long main section.
McLaren leave Baku without points as straight-line weakness becomes costly
McLaren failed to score in Baku for only the third time this season. Andrea Stella said the circuit exposed the car's straight-line weakness, while separate incidents removed both drivers from contention. Oscar Piastri lost a possible podium after a mistake, and Lando Norris retired following contact. The team also dealt with a fuel-injection and deployment problem during the weekend.
Isack Hadjar takes a Baku podium on his return from wrist injury
Isack Hadjar finished third at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on his return from a wrist injury. He qualified fourth, started ahead of Max Verstappen after beating him on Saturday and converted the position into a podium. Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies praised Hadjar's calm execution and the way he worked for the team during a demanding weekend.
George Russell wins from pole in Baku and reduces the title deficit
George Russell won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from pole position, holding off Max Verstappen by less than two tenths of a second. It was Russell's third victory of the season and reduced his championship deficit to Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli from 81 points to 66. A late turbo concern added pressure, but the lead survived the final run through Baku.
F1 Commission proposes shorter 2027 races and a fixed finishing-time rule
The Formula 1 Commission has discussed a package of sporting changes for 2027. The proposal would reduce the standard race distance from 305 kilometres to 290, remove the three-hour elapsed-time limit while retaining two hours of active racing, and create a fixed finishing time. Gearbox homologation would also be removed, subject to World Motor Sport Council approval.
Singapore prepares its first Formula 1 Sprint weekend for October 9-11
The 2026 Singapore Grand Prix will use the Sprint format for the first time. The Marina Bay weekend runs from October 9 to October 11 on the 4.927-kilometre circuit. Friday contains one practice and Sprint Qualifying, Saturday adds a 21-lap Sprint and Grand Prix qualifying, and Sunday's race covers 62 laps.