Samwise F1 Newsletter
Monday, September 28, 2026
Russell Claims Azerbaijan Grand Prix Grand Slam Ahead of Verstappen
George Russell delivered a lights-to-flag Grand Slam victory at the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, holding off a fierce late charge from Max Verstappen to win by just 0.196 seconds. Starting from pole, which he claimed by eight tenths on Friday, the Mercedes driver set the fastest lap to complete a sweep of available honours. Isack Hadjar finished third for Red Bull, completing the team's first double podium in 57 races — a drought stretching back to China in 2024. Charles Leclerc was fourth for Ferrari, while Kimi Antonelli recovered from a 16th-place grid slot to finish fifth for Mercedes.
Sources: Motorsport.com
Colapinto Handed Five-Place Grid Penalty After Three-Car Baku Crash
Franco Colapinto received a five-place grid penalty for the Malaysian race after triggering a three-car pile-up at a safety car restart in Baku. The Alpine driver locked up into Turn 1 on the restart and collected teammate Pierre Gasly, who then struck McLaren's Lando Norris, retiring all three cars. Colapinto's original 10-second time penalty was converted to a grid drop because he had already retired. Alpine said the team would evaluate what action to take, while Norris publicly called for a race ban. The FIA stewards declined to impose the heavier sanction.
Antonelli Championship Lead Cut to 66 Points After Russell's Baku Victory
Kimi Antonelli left Baku with his Drivers' Championship lead reduced from 81 to 66 points after Mercedes teammate George Russell's Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory. Antonelli started 16th after a pre-race grid penalty and drove a composed recovery to fifth, scoring 10 points. The Mercedes driver now holds 302 points to Russell's 236, with nine rounds remaining in the 2026 season. Lewis Hamilton, racing for Ferrari, is third on 199 points but is considered mathematically removed from title contention following another difficult weekend in which he finished sixth from sixth on the grid.
Red Bull Barred Hadjar from Passing Verstappen in Unbroadcast Team Order
Red Bull issued team orders telling Isack Hadjar not to overtake Max Verstappen during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix — a message not broadcast on the world television feed, according to RaceFans. Hadjar, making his return to the team after a mid-season injury absence, was running directly behind Verstappen with newer tyres when Red Bull elected to hold positions. Team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed the decision, stating the team had evaluated the scenarios and chose to maintain the order. Verstappen finished second, 0.196 seconds behind George Russell, while Hadjar claimed third — Red Bull's first double podium since the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix.
Verstappen and Mekies Disagree Publicly on Whether Grid Penalty Is Coming
Max Verstappen and Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies gave conflicting assessments of whether the four-time champion faces a grid penalty before the 2026 season concludes. Verstappen said he would “definitely” take a penalty at some point, having used new engine components in Azerbaijan after an internal combustion engine failure in qualifying forced unplanned changes including a new ICE, turbocharger, and exhaust. Mekies said the situation was “not clear yet,” adding that the team needed to assess whether the removed engine could be reused and whether the remaining fourth engine would last to the Abu Dhabi finale.
Bahrain Grand Prix to Be Held in Malaysia at Sepang on October 2–4
The next Formula 1 race, officially named the Bahrain Grand Prix, will take place at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia on October 2–4, 2026, rather than in Bahrain. The venue change was announced earlier this year after ongoing Middle East conflict made the Sakhir circuit unsafe to use, with attacks striking targets near the facility. Sepang, located near Kuala Lumpur, previously hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix until 2017 and marks Formula 1's return to the country after a nine-year absence. Colapinto's five-place grid penalty, earned in Baku, will be applied to his Sepang starting position.
Sources: Motorsport.com
Horner Calls Ferrari Dream Job as Vasseur Fires Back at Speculation
Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner described a Ferrari role as his “dream” return to the Formula 1 pit lane, fuelling speculation about a potential move to the Scuderia. Horner said Ferrari was “the biggest brand in Formula 1” and “a sleeping giant.” However, Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur publicly dismissed the reports, saying “Mr Horner is looking for a job,” and emphasising that he himself holds a recently extended multi-year contract. Ferrari chairman John Elkann is reported to have held exploratory conversations with Horner, though a move would require a substantial restructure of how Ferrari's team leadership operates.
Sources: Sky Sports F1
McLaren Leave Baku Without a Point as Norris and Piastri Both Fail to Score
McLaren left Baku pointless after both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri failed to score at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Norris was wiped out by the Colapinto-triggered crash while running in the points, while Piastri locked up at Turn 1 and dropped to 14th place after struggling on the medium compound in his second stint. A fuel injection fault cost Norris straight-line performance throughout the weekend, amplifying McLaren's already significant deficit on Baku's long straights to Mercedes. Team principal Andrea Stella confirmed the MCL40 upgrades worked as intended but said the circuit characteristics masked much of the performance gain.
Sources: GrandPrix247
Round 15 of 24 — After the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Drivers Championship
| Pos | Driver | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | K. Antonelli | 302 |
| 2 | G. Russell | 236 |
| 3 | L. Hamilton | 199 |
| 4 | L. Norris | 186 |
| 5 | C. Leclerc | 179 |
| 6 | M. Verstappen | 163 |
| 7 | O. Piastri | 120 |
| 8 | I. Hadjar | 86 |
| 9 | L. Lawson | 59 |
| 10 | P. Gasly | 41 |
| 11 | A. Lindblad | 37 |
| 12 | F. Colapinto | 27 |
| 13 | O. Bearman | 20 |
| 14 | G. Bortoleto | 10 |
| 15 | N. Hülkenberg | 7 |
| 16 | C. Sainz | 7 |
| 17 | E. Ocon | 7 |
| 18 | A. Albon | 5 |
| 19 | F. Alonso | 3 |
| 20 | Y. Tsunoda | 1 |
| 21 | L. Stroll | 0 |
| 22 | V. Bottas | 0 |
| 23 | S. Pérez | 0 |
Constructors Championship
| Pos | Constructor | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 538 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 378 |
| 3 | McLaren | 306 |
| 4 | Red Bull | 263 |
| 5 | Racing Bulls | 83 |
| 6 | Alpine | 68 |
| 7 | Haas | 27 |
| 8 | Audi Revolut | 17 |
| 9 | Williams | 12 |
| 10 | Aston Martin | 3 |
| 11 | Cadillac | 0 |
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