George Russell is “assured” he can win the Method 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix after taking a dominant pole place on the streets of Baku.
Russell stormed to pole place forward of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri on Friday for the 51-lap race on the Baku Metropolis Avenue Circuit.
The Mercedes driver, after topping Thursday follow, was in fantastic kind and connected a dominant closing flying lap through the top-10 shootout.
The hole between Russell and the SF-26 of Leclerc was a whopping eighth tenths of a second – the most important qualifying margin of F1’s newest period.
“It’s been some time, so it positively feels good,” Russell advised Alex Brundle in Parc Ferme after the session.
“It’s most likely the most important margin in my complete profession and even together with F2, F3 days. So the lap felt actually candy.
“The automotive’s been feeling nice this weekend and on a monitor like this, when you’ll be able to hook it up like that, it feels actually wonderful.”
Max Verstappen had thwarted Russell taking a clear sweep of Observe P1s, after topping FP3, earlier on Friday.
And whereas the Crimson Bull driver was the closest competitor to Russell, on paper, a final ditch yellow flag attributable to Lando Norris meant he might solely register the eighth-fastest lap of Q3 because the clock ticked down.
“I feel Max has been very quick this weekend. I don’t know what occurred to him on the finish, perhaps I feel with the yellow flag of Lando,” he added.
“He didn’t get that final likelihood, so it could have been attention-grabbing to see, nevertheless it was simply the proper lap on the finish. I used to be in a great hole behind to Hajar, which gave me a pleasant little slipstream, most likely by one other tenth or two down this again straight. It was nice.”
George Russell: Mercedes “can go for the win” on the F1 Azerbaijan GP
Russell’s single lap tempo was monumental in comparison with the German marque’s rivals.
Trying ahead to 51-lap race on Saturday, the Briton is “assured” he can struggle for his first win of 2026 since Austria.
“I feel we’re in a fantastic place to go for the win, however in fact, that is Baku, and something can occur,” Russell surmised.
“In fact, Charles goes to be motivated to most likely throw one down the within of Flip 1, however no matter occurs, I really feel assured that we are able to go for the win.”
Russell’s apprehensions with Leclerc beginning alongside him are properly based. The race is thought for its Security Automobiles and strategic hiccups for the massive weapons.
Furthermore, Ferrari’s race tempo appears to be a robust contender to make Russell’s afternoon trickier than he would need on the twisty and slender streets of Baku.
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