F1 Azerbaijan GP: George Russell holds off late Max Verstappen charge for victory

George Russell triumphed over Max Verstappen by just 0.1 seconds in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku, cutting his team-mate Kimi Antolin's championship lead. Russell, who started from pole, led by 11 seconds before safety cars triggered a race restart, which allowed Verstappen to slip up behind Mercedes. Verstappen pursued Russell till the finish line, but Russell managed to fend off the Dutchman on the crucial final lap.

"That was a fast last lap. He was touching," Russell remarked post-race. Verstappen remained composed, stating, "George lost boost and I got close, but it was not enough." Isack Hadjar secured the third position in the other Red Bull, while Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari. Antolin, who led Russell by 81 points before the race but started from 16th after a qualifying crash, finished fifth.

The race was hampered by two mid-race crashes. On lap 35, Alex Albon collided with a wall, prompting a safety car to pull out, causing a domino effect. Franco Colapinto tried to overtake during the restart but ended up sideswiping Pierre Gasly, sending both cars into a synchronized slide. The French team drivers were on the verge of securing top-10 finishes. The race concluded under a yellow flag following Valtteri Bottas' Cadillac crashing into a wall.