Why is Azerbaijan Grand Prix on a Saturday? Kimi Antonelli out in Q1 as George Russell storms to Baku pole

George Russell has produced arguably the astir ascendant qualifying league of the 2026 Formula 1 play to instrumentality rod for Saturday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The Mercedes driver, trailing teammate Kimi Antonelli by 81 points successful the drivers' standings, was fastest successful Q3 by an unthinkable 0.837 seconds.

Charles Leclerc enactment his Ferrari connected the beforehand enactment of the grid aft edging retired McLaren's Oscar Piastri by conscionable 0.001 seconds.

Red Bull's Isack Hadjar impressively edged retired the likes of Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, who were 5th and sixth respectively, portion Pierre Gasly qualified up of Max Verstappen successful the Alpine.

Verstappen, who was astir than one-and-a-half seconds slower than Russell, had to settee for eighth.

Meanwhile, Championship person Antonelli volition commencement successful 16th presumption connected the grid aft helium suffered a puncture done clipping a partition successful Q1.

Why is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix taking spot connected a Saturday?

This year's Azerbaijan Grand Prix volition unusually beryllium held connected a Saturday, alternatively than the accepted Sunday raceday.

The crushed is to debar a clash with Azerbaijan's nationalist Remembrance Day, which is connected Sunday.

Although Saturday racedays are a uncommon occurrence, the astir caller stagings of the Las Vegas Grand Prix person taken spot connected Saturday nights successful Nevada.