Motoring News

He's still not won a race in 2026, but Max Verstappen could not have come closer in Baku, taking the chequered flag just 0.196s behind polesitter and victor George Russell.

George Russell avoided multiple incidents to pip Max Verstappen to the win in Baku.

Alpine driver Franco Colapinto has apologised for the "big mistake" that saw him knock team-mate Pierre Gasly and McLaren driver Lando Norris out of F1's Azerbaijan GP.
On a lap 36 restart in the streets of Baku, Colapinto locked up his cold front tyres on the low-grip inside line into Turn 1 and clattered into the side of Gasly, with Norris also collected in the incident.
The incident ...Keep reading

Reigning world champion Lando Norris says he thinks Franco Colapinto deserves "at least a one-race ban" for causing a pile-up at F1's Azerbaijan GP.
On a lap 36 restart in the streets of Baku, Colapinto locked up his cold front tyres and aimlessly speared into Alpine team-mate Gasly into Turn 1, with Norris also collected by the tangling pair.
The incident knocked both Gasly and Norris out ...Keep reading

Mercedes' George Russell holds off a late challenge from Red Bull's Max Verstappen to win an Azerbaijan Grand Prix enlivened by two late safety car periods.

Mercedes' George Russell holds off a late challenge from Red Bull's Max Verstappen to win an Azerbaijan Grand Prix enlivened by two late safety car periods.

Russell uses his chance to close the gap
Well, let’s not overstate anything. There’s no championship battle as such - and George Russell’s Baku win didn’t really increase his chances dramatically. From one percent to about two, probably - but hardly more.
Yet, one must say: well done. Given the advantage Mercedes had over the opposition, it would still be over the top to get too ...Keep reading

 
Mercedes driver George Russell has taken a dominant pole-to-flag victory at F1's Azerbaijan GP, overcoming two safety cars to beat Max Verstappen and clinch his third grand prix win of 2026.
Russell took pole by a massive eight tenths on Friday and confirmed Mercedes' dominance in race trim. The Briton led either side of a pair of mid-race safety cars to snare his first win since June's ...Keep reading

Friday's ARCA Menard's Series season finale at Kansas Speedway was full of drama, with Jake Bollman losing his 16-point advantage after a massive mid-race crash.
Before that, Bollman clashed directly with Nitro Motorsports team-mate and title rival Thomas Annunziata. He slid up into Annunziata and spun him early in the race, with Annunziata then spinning Bollman a few laps later.
While it ...Keep reading

Williams team-mates Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz have revealed that a small group of Formula 1 drivers will be using the time between the Bahrain Grand Prix (in Malaysia) and the Singapore Grand Prix to go on a boys' trip.
The rescheduling of the Bahrain Grand Prix, which will be held at the Sepang International Circuit due to the conflict in the Middle East, has allowed the drivers to use the ...Keep reading

The full official starting order for Sunday's 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.

Live coverage of the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 in Baku.

Our expert betting writers bring you their final predictions and latest odds before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

After three pole positions in the last four rounds, qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was underwhelming for the McLaren Formula 1 team, which has struggled all weekend.
The MCL40 was described as “miles off” by Lando Norris following Thursday practice, which he ended 1.5s off the pace – a figure that was mostly representative as he aborted a quicker lap but wouldn’t have gained ...Keep reading

After a very strong European leg of the Formula 1 season – which was actually an Achilles’ heel last year – Kimi Antonelli made a rare mistake during qualifying in Baku.
The championship leader hit the inside wall at Turn 1 during his second Q1 push lap, bringing his qualifying session to an early end and leaving him to start Saturday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix from 16th on the ...Keep reading

Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo believes MotoGP should have the same number of sprint events as Formula 1, amid plans to introduce a dedicated qualifying for half-distance races.
MotoGP’s stakeholders are set to agree on a new weekend format for 2027 that would see each round feature two qualifying sessions, likely in favour of less practice time.
While riders currently start the sprint and ...Keep reading

1997 Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve believes Esteban Ocon's grand prix career will end when his time with Haas concludes, arguing the Frenchman is running out of options on the grid.
Ocon joined Haas in 2025 after a five-year stint with Renault, which later became Alpine. The 30-year-old finished 15th in the drivers' championship in his first season with the American outfit, but was ...Keep reading

Lando Norris believes he now must give it all to have the slightest chance of winning the 2026 Formula 1 world title – hence a driving error in qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Norris has scored 83 points since McLaren introduced its most substantial upgrade of the season in Hungary, meaning he is now competing with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton for the runner-up spot in the ...Keep reading

Arvid Lindblad offered a particularly critical assessment of his individual performance after Qualifying at the Baku City Circuit, suggesting that he has recently “been trying to be too special”.

Audi brought a significant upgrade package to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but it's not produced the desired results so far as both drivers were eliminated in Q1.