Russell fastest in Baku as he refuses to give up title chase

George Russell topped both practice sessions for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku on Thursday 24 September and insisted he will fight for the world title until it is mathematically impossible.

The Mercedes driver trails teammate Kimi Antonelli by 81 points heading into the weekend, but he set the pace in first practice and again in the second session. “Until it is mathematically impossible” was his message on his championship chances, according to The Guardian.

Russell stopped the clocks at 1:45.387 in the opening hour, with Max Verstappen second, as reported by Formula 1. He went faster in the afternoon with a 1:43.347, finishing 0.552 seconds clear of Antonelli and eight-tenths clear of Verstappen in third, on the 6km Baku street circuit. Those gaps were confirmed by Reuters and the BBC.

Antonelli had a scrappy start to his Thursday. He lost half of first practice to a hydraulic problem, a fault in the high-pressure system that helps operate the gearbox, steering and other key parts. It was a rare hiccup in a dominant run.

The 19-year-old Italian arrives in Baku with eight wins this season, including the last two in a row. He won the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid and then the Italian Grand Prix at Monza from 19th on the grid, results that stretched his lead over Russell.

The maths still leaves Russell room. Nine races remain, with a potential 233 points on offer. If all nine go ahead, Antonelli could seal the title with a 100-point lead after Mexico or a 75-point lead after Brazil.

The Baku weekend itself is unusual. The race takes place on Saturday 26 September to avoid a clash with Azerbaijan’s national remembrance day. Practice took place on Thursday, with the full weekend running from Thursday 24 September to Saturday, according to Formula 1.

There is also uncertainty further ahead. The season-ending Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix are under threat of cancellation because of the war in the Middle East. If both fall off, Formula One would replace them with a single round at Imola, cutting 25 points from the total available. A final decision is expected in mid-October, after the Baku-Malaysia-Singapore triple-header.

For fans, this means the pressure is on Russell to turn Thursday speed into a Saturday result. Baku rewards confidence, with long flat-out blasts followed by tight castle walls where one brush ends the day. Antonelli has shown he can win from anywhere. Russell needs to start beating him, soon.