Baku Thursday practice: Antonelli and Russell take Mercedes to street circuit
Rare Thursday start at Baku City Circuit. Mercedes defends 503-point constructors lead. Qualifying Friday, race Saturday.
Why this session matters
Formula 1 shifts one day forward for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, running Thursday through Saturday to respect Azerbaijan’s national Remembrance Day on Sunday 27 September. The 6.003-kilometer Baku City Circuit combines a 2.2-kilometer flat-out straight with the tightest castle section in world motorsport.
What actually happened
Formula1.com and Sky Sports confirm that FP1 and FP2 commenced Thursday under warm conditions on the Caspian shore. Mercedes arrived with commanding championship authority following Kimi Antonelli’s historic win at the inaugural Madrid Grand Prix. The rookie sensation leads the drivers’ championship on 292 points, with teammate George Russell second on 211 points.
Mercedes heads the constructors’ standings on 503 points, holding off Ferrari (358 points) and McLaren (306 points). Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc evaluated Ferrari low-drag wings through the long straight, while Lando Norris focused on tire degradation under brake-heavy street conditions.
Teams adjusted setups to manage the severe contrast between Baku’s 340 km/h seafront straight and the medieval 7.6-meter bottleneck at Turn 8. No red flags disrupted early running as drivers logged critical long-run data.
What to watch next
Action accelerates rapidly in Azerbaijan. FP3 and qualifying take center stage on Friday, locking the grid for Saturday’s 51-lap Grand Prix at 12:00 p.m. UK time (3:00 p.m. local time).
Sources
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