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A Formula 1 post-race press conference was held in Baku following the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with race winner George Russell, runner-up Max Verstappen and third-place finisher Isack Hadjar reflecting on a race that was decided in the final seconds.

George Russell claimed his third victory of the 2026 season after starting from pole position and leading all 51 laps. He finished just 0.196 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen, while Isack Hadjar completed the podium 10.704 seconds behind the Mercedes driver.

George Russell reflects on a hard-fought victory

George Russell said he was proud of the resilience shown by himself and his engineering group after a difficult period earlier in the season. He explained that adapting his driving style to the new car had taken time, but that the changes were now becoming more natural and giving him greater confidence.

Russell said the race had been relatively straightforward during the opening stages as he built a gap at the front. However, he expected a difficult finish after seeing Max Verstappen behind him following the Safety Car restart.

The Mercedes driver said the final stint was particularly intense, with both drivers able to push at almost qualifying pace. He described the final 10 laps as much more tense than the first 40 and said he knew he could not afford to make a mistake around the Baku City Circuit.

Russell also explained that the Safety Car restart required careful preparation, particularly because of the challenge of managing the power unit and battery. He said he watched Verstappen in his mirrors and waited for the right moment to accelerate before opening a sufficient gap to prevent the Red Bull driver from attacking.

The final moments became even more difficult when a late yellow flag forced Russell to lift off. When he returned to full power, he briefly lost turbo boost, allowing Verstappen to close rapidly.

Russell said he was relieved to have held on and described the weekend as an incredible one. He also said his immediate target for the remainder of the season was to win every race while focusing on his own performances rather than the championship deficit.

Max Verstappen explains late charge to second

Max Verstappen, who started eighth, said he was pleased with his race after working his way up to second.

The Red Bull driver explained that the opening stint on the Medium tyre had been difficult, but he was still able to move into third before the Safety Car restart. He then switched to the Soft tyre and found significantly stronger performance.

Verstappen said he and Russell were able to maintain a gap of around one second during the final stint while running at a very high pace. He added that low tyre degradation allowed both drivers to push almost flat out until the finish.

According to Verstappen, the closing gap at the finish was mainly caused by Russell losing some boost after lifting for the yellow flag. He said that, without that moment, he expected the gap to have remained around one second.

Verstappen also said that starting from second rather than eighth could have made his first stint easier, although he believed Russell's pace would still have made it difficult to overtake the Mercedes.

Looking ahead, Verstappen said Red Bull had made progress with its latest upgrades and that the car had felt strong throughout the weekend. However, he acknowledged that the team still had areas to address and that the upcoming race in Malaysia could provide a different challenge.

Isack Hadjar celebrates podium on return

Isack Hadjar described his third-place finish as particularly satisfying after returning to racing following a six-week absence.

The Red Bull driver said he had deliberately taken a cautious approach throughout the weekend because of the demanding nature of the Baku City Circuit. He wanted to build his confidence step by step rather than risk an early mistake, and said that approach ultimately brought him his first podium achieved on pure pace.

Hadjar also said his wrist had held up over the full race distance, although he experienced some numbness. He added that he was looking forward to returning to racing in Malaysia as the schedule becomes increasingly busy.

The driver said the Baku weekend gave him a significant confidence boost. He noted that his earlier podium in Monaco had not come from qualifying among the top three, whereas in Baku he felt he had fought his way onto the podium through his own pace and performance.

Hadjar also praised the improved balance of the Red Bull, saying the car felt better through the corners from the opening practice session compared with the previous race in Budapest.

The three drivers were also asked about the incident involving Franco Colapinto, Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris after a Safety Car restart. George Russell, Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar all agreed that a race ban would be too severe, pointing to the low grip and difficult conditions during the restart.

Russell said the incident appeared to be a small error with major consequences, while Verstappen noted that Colapinto had apologised. Hadjar highlighted the bumps away from the racing line and the difficulty of generating tyre temperature behind the Safety Car.

George Russell also confirmed that the victory represented his first Formula 1 Grand Slam, having secured pole position, the win, the fastest lap and led every lap of the race.

The Mercedes driver said the achievement was especially meaningful because it came at a circuit requiring a high level of commitment and confidence. He added that the result had restored his belief after a difficult period and left him confident that he could fight for victories on a regular basis.