The F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE coverage begins from the Baku City Circuit as Formula 1 returns for the main race of the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. George Russell will start from pole position for Mercedes, with Charles Leclerc alongside him on the front row and Oscar Piastri starting third.
Russell produced a strong qualifying performance on Friday to secure pole, finishing 0.837 seconds ahead of Leclerc. Piastri was just 0.001 seconds behind the Ferrari driver, setting up an interesting fight at the front when the lights go out.
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Max Verstappen, who topped FP3 earlier in the day, will have to recover from an unexpected eighth-place qualifying position. The Red Bull driver will start behind Pierre Gasly and Lewis Hamilton, while Isack Hadjar lines up fourth after an impressive qualifying performance.
Also Read: F1 Azerbaijan GP Qualifying Results: Russell Pole, Leclerc P2, Verstappen P8
F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Starting Grid and Key Positions
The front of the grid will see George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri and Isack Hadjar starting in the top four positions. Lando Norris will start fifth, followed by Lewis Hamilton in sixth and Pierre Gasly in seventh.
Verstappen starts P8, while Carlos Sainz will start from P14 after receiving a five-place grid penalty following qualifying. Kimi Antonelli, meanwhile, will start P16 after his Q1 crash ended his qualifying session early.
The Azerbaijan GP is scheduled to start at 4:30 PM IST on Saturday, September 26, with the race set to run for 51 laps or a maximum of two hours.
F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE Updates
26 September 2026 | Race Day
Welcome to F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE coverage on Auto India Daily. The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix is set for an exciting start at the Baku City Circuit, with George Russell starting from pole position ahead of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri. Max Verstappen will begin from P8, while Lewis Hamilton starts sixth.
Here we will cover lap-by-lap action from the start of the race till the checkered flag, position changes, incidents, pit stops, safety car updates and the latest results with exact IST timestamps.
6:14 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Full Results From Baku
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is now complete, with George Russell taking the chequered flag in Baku. The full finishing order is now available following the dramatic 51-lap race.
The race featured multiple incidents, including retirements for Lance Stroll and Franco Colapinto, while the Racing Bulls teammates also came together during the race.
6:13 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: George Russell Wins in Baku
George Russell has won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix! The Mercedes driver takes victory in Baku after a remarkably close finish, winning by just one-tenth of a second.
Russell converts his pole position into victory after leading the race for much of the distance. The 2026 Azerbaijan GP comes to an end after 51 laps.
6:12 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Race Goes Down to the Line
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix has reached Lap 51 of 51, with the final battle now heading towards the finish line.
The race is coming down to its final moments as the drivers fight to secure their finishing positions in Baku.
6:11 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Bottas Crashes at Turn 15
Valtteri Bottas has crashed into the barriers at Turn 15 on the final lap of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Lap 51/51: The incident comes right at the end of the race as the field heads towards the chequered flag.
6:10 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Russell Heads Into Final Lap
George Russell is now on the final lap of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and appears to be in control at the front.
Lap 50/51: The Mercedes driver is just one lap away from the chequered flag in Baku.
6:09 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Verstappen Cleared After Investigation
Max Verstappen has been cleared of further investigation after being noted for failing to follow the race director’s instructions during the Safety Car restart.
The Red Bull driver has now been cleared of the matter with no further investigation.
5:47 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Colapinto Retires After Damage
Franco Colapinto is out of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after his Alpine suffered too much damage. He joins his teammate on the sidelines as the race reaches Lap 36 of 51.
The incident will leave Alpine with plenty to review after the race.
5:46 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Racing Bulls Teammates Collide
The two Racing Bulls drivers have come together after Arvid Lindblad hit Liam Lawson, creating drama between the teammates during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Lap 37/51: The incident comes during the restart phase of the race.
5:17 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Russell Stretches Lead to Almost 10 Seconds
George Russell continues to control the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and has now extended his advantage to almost 10 seconds over the chasing field.
Lap 24/51: The Mercedes driver is comfortably clear at the front as the race reaches its halfway stage.
5:15 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Hadjar Struggling With Tyres
Isack Hadjar is facing tyre difficulties during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. His team has acknowledged over the radio that the Racing Bulls driver is going through a difficult phase with his tyres.
Lap 23/51: Hadjar’s tyre management is becoming a key factor as the race progresses.
5:05 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Antonelli Moves Into the Points
Kimi Antonelli has climbed into the points-paying positions after overtaking Ollie Bearman during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Lap 18/51: Antonelli is now running inside the top 10 as the race reaches its 18th lap.
4:55 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Russell Stretches Lead to Six Seconds
George Russell continues to extend his advantage at the front and now leads Oscar Piastri by six seconds.
Lap 12/51: Piastri is coming under pressure from Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, with the battle for second place intensifying behind the Mercedes leader.
4:50 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Stroll Retires on Lap 9
Lance Stroll has been forced to retire from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after being told to stop his Aston Martin. The Canadian driver is now out of the race.
Lap 9/51: Stroll is safely off the track, with no intervention currently required.
4:46 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Verstappen Moves Into P3
Max Verstappen has moved ahead of Isack Hadjar to take P3 on Lap 7. Hadjar did not put up much resistance as the Red Bull driver made his way through.
Lap 7/51: Verstappen is now closing in on Oscar Piastri, with George Russell continuing to lead the race.
4:42 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Verstappen Moves Ahead of Leclerc
Max Verstappen has moved ahead of Charles Leclerc down the start-finish straight to take P4. The Red Bull is showing strong pace in the early stages of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Lap 5/51: Russell leads Piastri, followed by Hadjar, Verstappen and Leclerc.
4:40 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Hadjar Takes P3 From Leclerc
Isack Hadjar has made his move on Charles Leclerc into Turn 3, putting the Racing Bulls driver into P3. Leclerc is now under pressure, with Max Verstappen also closing in behind the Ferrari.
Lap 4/51: Russell leads Piastri, with Hadjar now running third.
4:36 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Russell Leads as Piastri Moves Into P2
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is underway at the Baku City Circuit. George Russell has held the lead into Turn 1, while Oscar Piastri has moved up to P2, ahead of Charles Leclerc.
Lap 1/51: Kimi Antonelli has also lost a position on the opening lap and is now running P17.
4:32 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Formation Lap Underway
The cars are now heading onto the grid for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with the formation lap underway at the Baku City Circuit.
The race start is just moments away, with George Russell leading the field from pole position.
4:27 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: Track Temperature Hits 45.6°C
The weather update from Baku shows an ambient temperature of 26.4°C, while the track temperature has reached 45.6°C ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The high track temperature could make tyre management an important factor once the race gets underway.
4:14 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: George Russell Gets Strong Pre-Race Backing
George Russell is attracting strong support ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after securing pole position in Baku. RacingNews365 highlighted the Mercedes driver’s position as a leading contender in a social media post ahead of the race.
Russell will start from P1, with Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri alongside him on the front two rows.
4:03 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: One-Stop Strategy Expected in Baku
The pre-race strategy update is in from Pirelli, with a one-stop strategy expected to be the preferred option for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The possible pit-stop windows are around Lap 16–22, Lap 21–27 and Lap 26–32. The average pit-stop time loss is estimated at around 19.5 seconds, with the race scheduled for 51 laps.
4:00 PM IST — F1 Azerbaijan GP Race LIVE: What to Watch in Baku
The long straights and tight sections of the Baku City Circuit could make strategy and tyre management particularly important during the race. The opening lap will also be closely watched, with Russell, Leclerc and Piastri starting closely together at the front.
Verstappen’s recovery will be another major storyline, while Antonelli faces a difficult challenge from P16. Sainz’s progress after his grid penalty and the midfield battle should also provide plenty of action around the 6.003-kilometre street circuit.
Stay with Auto India Daily for live F1 Azerbaijan GP Race updates from the Baku City Circuit.
Also Read: F1 Azerbaijan GP FP3 Results: Max Verstappen Fastest, Russell P2 & Hamilton P3 in Baku
Raj Prajapati is a Senior Automotive Content Writer at AutoIndiaDaily. A B.Tech graduate in Computer Science and Engineering, he leverages over four years of experience covering Indian car and bike launches, EV tech, and market dynamics to break down complex automotive regulations into simple consumer guides. Specialising in Indian motor vehicle laws, IRDAI updates, and ownership costs, Raj translates technical auto policies into actionable advice for everyday drivers.