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Laman Ismayilova

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Mercedes driver George Russell said at a press conference in Baku ahead of the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix that he enjoys the circuit and believes its high-speed corners suit his car well.

Russell also noted that weather conditions could have an impact on the weekend, while describing the Baku City Circuit as a challenging track that he enjoys racing on.

The Mercedes driver said he has been more satisfied with the team's recent performances. He pointed to the Madrid race as an example, where Mercedes showed strong race pace and performance before a technical issue ended its hopes of a podium finish.

Russell believes the Baku circuit should suit Mercedes better than the Madrid track and is therefore expecting a stronger result. He also said the team has faced challenges this season because of changes to the car and tyres, but has made progress in understanding what works and is confident Mercedes can fight for victory in Baku.

The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held at the Baku City Circuit from September 24 to 26 as the 15th round of the Formula 1 season.

The weekend will follow an adjusted schedule, with both practice sessions taking place on Thursday, September 24, followed by final practice and qualifying on Friday. The 51-lap Grand Prix will be held on Saturday, September 26, starting at 15:00 local time.

The 6.003-kilometre Baku City Circuit features 20 corners and a race distance of 306.049 kilometres. The street circuit combines long, fast sections with the narrow and technical Old City section, where the track is only 7.6 metres wide at its narrowest point.

The circuit hosted its first Formula 1 race in 2016 as the European Grand Prix before becoming the Azerbaijan Grand Prix venue from 2017.