Max Verstappen denied Mercedes another Baku practice clean sweep with a last-gasp lap to beat George Russell by around one tenth in FP3 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Mercedes had appeared set to remain on top until the closing seconds, but the four-time World Champion combined strong pace through the technical sections with a well-timed slipstream to put Red Bull first ahead of qualifying.
Until the final minutes, the pattern looked much the same as it had on Thursday: Mercedes at the front and the rest of the field chasing. That was hardly surprising given the pre-weekend expectations and the potential already demonstrated by the W17, which appears to require fewer compromises in energy management than its rivals thanks to greater flexibility in how its electrical deployment can be used across the lap.
Max Verstappen snatches Baku FP3 lead from George Russell
With only seconds remaining, however, Max Verstappen produced the decisive lap and beat George Russell by approximately one tenth. Red Bull managed the slipstream particularly effectively, not only on the final attempt but also during the other soft-tyre runs.
That consistency suggested it was more than simple good fortune. Red Bull appeared able to plan Max Verstappen’s runs around the programmes of rival drivers, putting him in positions where he could receive a tow either from someone starting a flying lap or another car completing one.
On the final runs, Max Verstappen matched George Russell’s best time through sector two before benefiting from several slipstreams. One of those came from a Ferrari on his last attempt and helped deliver the fastest time of the session.
The RB22 had already looked competitive on Thursday in terms of balance and performance through the middle section of the Baku City Circuit, although Red Bull had been weaker in outright top speed and in controlling the car’s ride height.
Red Bull uses slipstream to offset RB22 top-speed weakness
Seeing a Red Bull struggle with bouncing on a street circuit is not unusual, but Max Verstappen currently appears to have the situation under control. Slipstreaming could prove even more important once qualifying begins.
As became clear during practice, the Milton Keynes car still lacks some outright top speed. With a tow, however, the RB22 can become a serious threat to the other teams trying to challenge Mercedes.
Red Bull may also be one of the teams best placed to use tactical cooperation between its drivers during qualifying. On a circuit with Baku’s enormous flat-out section, positioning a team-mate correctly could provide a meaningful lap-time gain. More coverage of the Dutch driver’s season is available in the Max Verstappen section.
George Russell remains firmly in Azerbaijan GP pole fight
George Russell finished second, around one tenth behind Max Verstappen, but Mercedes can take confidence from the knowledge that without the slipstream available to the Red Bull driver, the British driver would realistically have had a strong chance of completing all three Baku practice sessions at the top of the timesheets.
Mercedes continues to enjoy greater flexibility than its rivals in energy management. The W17 has to make fewer compromises between sectors two and three and can use electrical power for longer, an important advantage around a circuit where energy deployment and straight-line efficiency are particularly significant.
George Russell therefore enters qualifying as a clear contender for pole position and has so far appeared the sharper of the two Mercedes drivers. The team’s overall performance this season has already underlined the strength of the Mercedes W17, and Baku has again shown how effectively the car can combine low-speed performance with straight-line speed.
Kimi Antonelli still recovering lost track time after Thursday problem
Kimi Antonelli finished fourth, around three and a half tenths behind Max Verstappen. The championship leader is still dealing with the consequences of the significant amount of track time lost on Thursday after a hydraulic problem led Mercedes to replace his power unit.
On a street circuit where confidence develops lap by lap, that lost running carries meaningful consequences. It may also help explain why George Russell has appeared more immediately comfortable during the Baku weekend despite Kimi Antonelli’s commanding position in the 2026 championship battle between the Mercedes drivers.
Lewis Hamilton takes third as Ferrari still struggles with tyre warm-up
Lewis Hamilton split the two Mercedes cars in third place. Even on the soft compound, Ferrari again appeared to have more difficulty bringing its tyres into the correct temperature window, with several lock-ups visible during the opening section of the lap, as had also been the case on Thursday.
Lewis Hamilton set his third-fastest time right at the end of the session, finishing only just over one hundredth behind George Russell. Like Max Verstappen, however, the Ferrari driver benefited from useful slipstreams arriving at the right moment.
Charles Leclerc was considerably further back in the second Ferrari, finishing fifth and around six tenths away from Max Verstappen’s benchmark. Energy management and straight-line performance remain central issues at this circuit, with the Baku Straight Mode zones placing particular demands on Ferrari.
Pierre Gasly impresses as Alpine shows strong Baku efficiency
Pierre Gasly produced the sixth-fastest time for Alpine, which is hoping Baku can deliver another strong result on a low-downforce circuit where aerodynamic efficiency plays a particularly important role.
The A526 showed encouraging reference points through the final sector with both cars, even after accounting for the effect of slipstreams. That offers Alpine some optimism heading into qualifying on a circuit where straight-line efficiency can significantly influence the competitive order.
McLaren remains off the pace ahead of Baku qualifying
There had been concerns before the weekend that Baku could prove difficult for McLaren, partly because of the circuit’s numerous slow-speed sections. So far, the running has followed that expected pattern.
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finished seventh and eighth respectively, both more than eight tenths behind Max Verstappen and approximately seven tenths away from the leading Mercedes of George Russell.
The gap leaves McLaren with work to do before qualifying despite the substantial update package brought to Azerbaijan. Isack Hadjar, returning after his injury lay-off, finished ninth in the second Red Bull, while Franco Colapinto completed the top 10 for Alpine.
Mercedes therefore remains the benchmark on underlying performance heading into qualifying, but Max Verstappen’s late FP3 lap has ensured the fight for pole is far from straightforward. With slipstreaming set to play a major role and Lewis Hamilton also emerging near the front, the final battle for grid position promises to be significantly tighter than Thursday’s times suggested.
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