Russell's Baku grand slam ends six-race drought and restores his self-belief

George Russell delivered a dominant lights-to-flag victory at the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, securing his third win of the season and the first grand slam of his Formula 1 career — leading every lap, taking pole, fastest lap, and the race win in a single weekend.

The result carried weight well beyond the statistics. Russell had gone six consecutive race weekends without a win, a stretch in which 20-year-old team-mate Kimi Antonelli not only extended his championship advantage but underlined his grip on the Mercedes W17 with a stunning comeback victory at Monza. For Russell, who had spent years waiting for competitive machinery only to find himself outpaced by a teenager when the opportunity finally arrived, Baku represented something more personal.

“It feels great,” Russell said after his first win since June’s Austrian Grand Prix. “I’m very proud of the resilience that I and my close group of engineers have shown during the tough periods this year because there’s been a lot of hard work to overcome some of the challenges, to adapt my driving style to suit this new car better.”

Russell acknowledged that 2026’s unique technical regulations had tested him in ways that were difficult to address given Formula 1’s unforgiving schedule. While Antonelli appeared to adapt instinctively, Russell was forced to work through the problem methodically and without the luxury of practice time.

“F1 is so tough, you don’t get opportunities to practice this, and finally it’s coming to me a bit more intuitively than it once did,” he said. “And especially on circuits like this, it just allows you to eke out that little bit more on the brakes, get that little bit closer to the walls, and it’s been a flawless weekend.”

Russell also held off a charging Max Verstappen after a double safety car period bunched the field, adding further merit to the win. He was clear, however, that his confidence had never fully deserted him even during the difficult run.

“I never lost that faith in myself. Even through the tough moments I knew there was a reason why I was off the pace. It wasn’t like I just suddenly forgot how to drive, and I knew I would be able to find it again. I just had to be patient.”

Russell trails Antonelli by 66 points in the drivers’ championship, making a title challenge an uphill task, but the Briton believes his recent form — three podiums and three front-row starts from the four races since the summer break — signals a genuine return to competitiveness.

“I feel confident. I feel I can fight for victory week-in, week-out now,” he said.