Azerbaijan GP: Russell names Verstappen as main threat as Antonelli starts 16th after crash

George Russell, who took pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, has identified Max Verstappen as the most serious threat in the race. The Mercedes driver also joked about the comeback made by his team-mate Kimi Antonelli at Monza, a scenario that could happen again after the Italian’s Q1 accident.

On his second flying lap in the first part of qualifying, Antonelli hit the wall. His front suspension, steering, front-left wheel and tyre were damaged. He tried to bring the car back to the pits before race engineer Peter Bonnington instructed him to park it.

Antonelli had already posted a time quick enough to reach Q2 but was unable to take part in the session. He was therefore initially classified 16th on the grid. “I feel Verstappen is going to be a threat and obviously we can’t discount Kimi,” Russell said. Jokingly, he added: “He started 19th in Monza and now he’s 16th. So, yeah, he should be leading by a few laps earlier this time…”

Russell initially put Verstappen at the top of his list of concerns. “Looking back on yesterday’s practice, I think Verstappen was the biggest threat,” he said, while stressing the uncertainty that remains: “But we really don’t know. McLaren also threw out a big surprise at the beginning of Q3.”

Verstappen had nevertheless topped the third practice session on Friday lunchtime. His qualifying was then hindered by an issue with his internal combustion engine, which affected electrical deployment. He was consigned to eighth in final qualifying.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris had been quickest in the first Q3 runs. But neither found an answer to Russell’s pace over his final two runs, with the Briton using the same set of soft tyres while both McLarens fitted new sets. On his final attempt, Norris locked up and ran wide at Turn 3, briefly bringing out a yellow flag; Verstappen’s lap had already been compromised by his power-unit issues.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc ultimately took second place, 0.837s behind Russell. Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar, returning from injury, finished fourth despite not featuring among the potential rivals mentioned by Russell.

Russell is currently 81 points behind his team-mate in the drivers’ championship and is seeking to revive his season after recent disappointments, notably at Monza, where Antonelli took the lead away from him after starting 19th. Asked whether this weekend offered a chance to begin his recovery and whether Antonelli might be showing signs of pressure, Russell played down that reading.

“I can’t recall many mistakes he’s made this season,” he said. “When you look at every championship campaign, even for the winners, there are mistakes along the way.” Russell also underlined his own mindset: “I still keep on believing and keep on fighting until it isn’t possible anymore. But I don’t feel any pressure. I feel excitement every time I jump in the car now purely because I feel more confident in myself.”

According to Russell, that confidence can feed a positive cycle, whereas being on the back foot can make a driver push the limits more. “And that’s when mistakes happen. But he’s been flawless this season. It’s the first mistake he’s made in a qualifying session this whole year,” he concluded about Antonelli.