BAKU TRIUMPH: Russell Edges Verstappen to Win Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix

George Russell's win at Baku marks Mercedes' third victory this season while dramatically tightening the championship fight—he now trails leader Kimi Antonelli by just 15 points after 15 races. The result came after two safety-car periods transformed a straightforward Mercedes advantage into a frantic finale, with Verstappen climbing from eighth on the grid to nearly catch Russell at the line. Antonelli's fifth-place finish, following a qualifying crash that started him 16th, keeps his title hopes alive but shows Mercedes closing ground as the season reaches its second half.