George Russell will start the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix from pole position, with Charles Leclerc alongside him on the front row and Oscar Piastri waiting to attack from behind. Kimi Antonelli, meanwhile, faces another recovery drive from further down the order as Formula 1 prepares for what could be an unpredictable afternoon in Baku.
The lights will soon go out for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the 15th round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship. The race is expected to be shaped above all by strategy, tyre management and the unexpected incidents that are never far away on a street circuit where the barriers sit so close to the cars.
2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix starting grid
| Position | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 4 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull |
| 5 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 7 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 8 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 9 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
| 10 | Oliver Bearman | Haas |
| 11 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls |
| 12 | Alexander Albon | Williams |
| 13 | Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| 14 | Carlos Sainz | Williams |
| 15 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls |
| 16 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 17 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi |
| 18 | Nico Hülkenberg | Audi |
| 19 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac |
| 20 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac |
| 21 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 22 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
Grid penalties: Carlos Sainz received a five-place penalty for failing to slow sufficiently under yellow flags, Sergio Perez received a three-place penalty for impeding another driver, while Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were sent to the back of the grid after exceeding their permitted allocation of power unit elements.
George Russell therefore starts from pole alongside Charles Leclerc, with Oscar Piastri and Isack Hadjar forming the second row. Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton share row three, while Kimi Antonelli faces a recovery drive from 16th on the grid.
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