George Russell set the pace in the second practice session (FP2) at the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, continuing his strong form by topping the timesheets once again. The session took place on Thursday, September 24, at the Baku City Circuit, with Russell leading ahead of a competitive field that included his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Russell recorded the fastest lap of FP2 with a 1:43.347 on soft tyres, maintaining his advantage over Antonelli, who was 0.552 seconds behind. Verstappen completed the top three, finishing 0.827 seconds off Russell’s pace. Despite his position, Verstappen reported handling difficulties related to rear axle instability, which affected the balance of his car during the session.
The practice was interrupted by a red flag following a crash involving Arvid Lindblad at Turns 8 and 9. Lindblad’s Racing Bulls car sustained significant damage, and he later issued an apology for the incident. Additionally, Ollie Bearman experienced an engine failure that forced him to stop safely on track. McLaren ran a temporary fix on their floorboards using plastic cable ties to address issues encountered during the session.
Other notable performances included Charles Leclerc in fourth, Lewis Hamilton in fifth, and Lando Norris in sixth. Fernando Alonso’s running was limited due to a suspected oil leak, restricting his track time during FP2. Towards the end of the session, teams focused on qualifying simulations using soft tyres to prepare for the upcoming qualifying session.
The FP3 session is scheduled for Friday at 12:30 local time, where teams will continue to refine their setups ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The developments in FP2 highlighted the ongoing challenges teams face with car balance and reliability on the demanding street circuit in Baku.
Overall, FP2 provided valuable data for the teams, with Russell’s pace underlining Mercedes’ current competitiveness in practice. Verstappen’s handling concerns and the incidents during the session will be areas for attention as the weekend progresses.