BAKU.- George Russell (mercedes) won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the end of a chaotic end of the race, this Saturday at the urban circuit of Bakuwith the leader of the Worldyour partner Kimi Antonellifinishing in fifth position after a great comeback.
The British, who had started from pole position, beat the Red Bull from dutch Max Verstappen and from French Isaac Hadjarfollowed by the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and the Italian Antonelli.
Verstappen closes to victory
Three weeks after his spectacular comeback in front of his audience in monzawhere he won ahead of a stunned Russell after starting from 19th position, Antonelli, 16th on the grid, had a great race, but could not get close to the podium despite two safety car interventions that once again worked in his favor.
Russell, who achieves his third victory of the season, the first since the end of June in Austriareduced the difference with Antonelli by 15 points, who still has a 66-point advantage over his teammate, a comfortable income with eight races left to play.
“It’s incredible to be back on the top step of the podium. I want to thank my team, who continued to believe in me during difficult times. The weekend has been really fantastic. Since returning from the summer break, I feel much better, I have found myself again,” said the Briton.
Verstappen, who had started from eighth position, had a magnificent race and was about to take victory at the finish line, where he was less than two tenths behind Russell.
Red Bull really had a lot to celebrate, because on his return after missing three races due to a left wrist injury, Hadjar achieved an unexpected third place on the demanding track of the Azerbaijani capital, in which he did not make the slightest mistake throughout the weekend.
The Parisian thus achieved the third podium of his career in F1 and the second this season after his third place in Monaco at the beginning of June.
“I’m delighted. These six weeks of break have been very long and it was the right time to return, because I felt strong. I have been building my weekend step by step and that has brought me here. I am very happy because it is my first real podium achieved thanks to my pace,” explained Hadjar.
Colapinto hits Gasly
the english Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), seven-time world champion, finished in sixth position, ahead of his compatriot Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls), of the haas from French Esteban Ocon and from the British Oliver Bearmanand from Spanish Carlos Sainz (Williams).
The race, calm until lap 31 of the 51, then got lively with two accidents: the Thai Alex Albon (Williams) made the first mistake.
The test was relaunched after the intervention of the safety car and the Argentine Franco Colapinto (Alpine) starred in a more serious one, hitting his French teammate Pierre Gasly and the current British champion Lando Norris (McLaren), causing the abandonment of the three pilots.
