George Russell holds off Verstappen to win Azerbaijan GP

George Russell delivers when it matters most in Azerbaijan

The Mercedes driver never surrendered the lead in Baku, even after two safety-car periods forced the field to regroup.

Max Verstappen provided the late pressure after starting eighth, but Russell held firm to beat the Red Bull by just 0.1 seconds.

It was Russell's third win of the season and his first at the Baku circuit. More importantly, the result reduced Kimi Antonelli's advantage at the top of the standings to 66 points, with eight rounds still to come.

Antonelli salvages fifth after starting the race in 16th

Antonelli had work to do from the beginning after a qualifying crash left him 16th on the grid.

The championship leader recovered to fifth, finishing behind Charles Leclerc in fourth. Lewis Hamilton came home sixth, while Isack Hadjar secured third for Red Bull.

The race produced plenty of drama elsewhere. Lando Norris was eliminated after getting caught in an Alpine clash during a restart, while Oscar Piastri threw away a potential podium finish with a late lock-up that dropped him out of the points.

After struggling to consistently match Antonelli's pace this season, Russell's Baku performance gives his title challenge renewed momentum.