Russell edges Verstappen by 0.196 seconds to win Azerbaijan Grand Prix

George Russell won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix by 0.196 seconds after resisting sustained late pressure from Max Verstappen, BBC Sport reported. The Mercedes driver had controlled the opening stages in Baku, but two safety-car periods brought the Red Bull into contention and turned the closing 11 laps into a fight for victory.

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The result was Russell's first win since the Austrian Grand Prix in June and reduced his championship deficit to Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli to 66 points. Antonelli recovered from 16th on the grid to finish fifth. Verstappen's second place followed a climb from eighth after problems during qualifying had left him further down the starting order.

Oscar Piastri initially emerged as Russell's closest pursuer, taking second from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc at the start. However, the McLaren driver could not match the leader's pace. Behind him, Red Bull's Isack Hadjar fought past Lando Norris and Leclerc before Verstappen advanced to third by lap seven, with Hadjar offering no resistance to his team-mate. Verstappen then remained behind Piastri as the leading group waited for a possible safety-car opportunity.

That interruption arrived on lap 30 when Williams driver Alex Albon crashed at Turn Five. At the restart six laps later, Verstappen overtook Piastri into Turn One to claim second. Racing was almost immediately neutralised again after Alpine's Franco Colapinto hit team-mate Pierre Gasly, who then collided with Norris. The Racing Bulls drivers also made contact behind them, with Arvid Lindblad sending Liam Lawson into a spin.

Russell accelerated early at the next restart and retained the lead, but could not build a comfortable gap. According to the BBC account, Verstappen stayed roughly half a second behind during the pursuit without getting close enough to attempt a pass into Turn One. The earlier advantage Russell had established was gone, leaving him to defend the lead through the final phase of the race.

A final-lap crash for Cadillac's Valtteri Bottas at Turn 15 created one more opening. Russell slowed for yellow flags and then suffered a turbo problem that cost him electrical boost, allowing Verstappen to close approaching the finish. Russell nevertheless reached the line first. BBC Sport described the 0.196-second winning margin as the closest green-flag finish in a grand prix since the 2002 United States Grand Prix.