Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was cautious about his chances of winning two Formula 1 races in succession for the first time in his career despite going fastest in the second practice of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Leclerc recovered from a crash in the morning to set the pace in the afternoon, 0.006 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Sergio Perez and 0.066 seconds in front of Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes.

Championship leader Max Verstappen finished fifth, while his challenger Lando Norris struggled and languished in 17th after the second classification in Baku.

Despite going quickest, Leclerc admitted there were issues with his Ferrari car, leaving work to do if he wants to get pole position in Azerbaijan for a fourth successive year.

He said: "The thing is that when we started FP2 there was an actual problem on the car that we saw later on, once I stopped, and we changed that particular part.

"It's one of the tracks that I quite like, and we've been pretty quick in the past, but that doesn't mean it will be the case for tomorrow.

"I mean, the crash, there's not much to go into. I braked a little bit too much on the right, the track was still dirty, I locked up, and it was too late to go to the right [run-off] – so I went into the wall."

Norris endured a far more difficult afternoon, only mustering 17th after coming across Alpine's Pierre Gasly in the final sector when attempting his fastest lap.

The Brit cannot afford many slip-ups from now until the end of the season, as he looks to overhaul Verstappen's 62-point lead with eight races remaining, but was downbeat about McLaren's chances this weekend, believing they were lagging behind their competitive rivals.

"We're quite a long way off," Norris said.

"I’m having to push way too much to try and get a lap time out of it.

"Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, they're all very similar. And then there's a good 0.3 to 0.4 second gap back to us, so a lot of work to do.

"Ferrari are very quick here. Mercedes will be quick with these track conditions. It's very slidey out there."

Sergio Perez accused the media of lacking understanding regarding Red Bull's recent issues, as the team rediscovered their pace in Friday's first practice at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Red Bull looked set to dominate Formula One again after making a flying start to 2024, but McLaren have made it a fight for the constructors' championship crown.

Max Verstappen won seven of the first 10 races of the season but has since failed to record a victory in six outings, while Perez has gone 11 races without a podium finish after achieving four in the first five races of the year.

Red Bull rediscovered their pace at first practice in Baku on Friday, though, with Verstappen finishing fastest ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Perez following in third.

Speaking ahead of that session, Perez acknowledged he had suffered more than Verstappen from difficulties with the team's RB20 car, but said many onlookers lacked understanding.

"I've had them probably for the last 15 months, with the car development, the direction, the trajectory we've been taking," Perez said of his issues. 

"I think it's a thing with the style of Max. The good thing is he was less sensitive to the issues we had, just by his nature.

"Some people don't understand it, especially from the media side, that different driver styles can come to different conclusions. 

"Ten, 12 races ago, I was complaining about these issues, but now they are so big that even Max is feeling them. I think the solution will benefit me even more with my style.

"It's very clear in the data, the team is fully aware of it and hopefully we can fix the issues soon going forwards. Then we can unlock a lot of performance from the car."

Friday's opening session at the Baku street circuit – where Perez is the only driver with multiple victories – saw Verstappen set a leading time of 1:45:546 on his last lap.

A chaotic session saw three red flags waved, with Charles Leclerc causing one of them when he hit a wall at Turn 15. 

Williams rookie Franco Colapinto also hit a barrier less than 10 minutes after the session resumed, with the running also being paused to allow the removal of debris from a dusty surface.

McLaren's Lando Norris had the fourth-fastest time, with Carlos Sainz in fifth and Oscar Piastri sixth, ahead of Fernando Alonso and George Russell.

Lando Norris wants to try and topple Max Verstappen in the drivers' championship on merit, despite McLaren confirming they will prioritise the Briton over Oscar Piastri. 

Norris, who is currently 62 points behind Verstappen ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend, is looking to bounce back from his second-place finish in Monza. 

The Dutchman has not won in his last six Grand Prix's, which is his worst run since the end of the 2020 season, but Norris has only closed the gap to him by seven points in the standings. 

McLaren's team principal Andrea Stella revealed the team would "bias" their operations towards Norris as they seek to win the drivers' and constructors' titles this season.

"I don't want to be given a championship," Norris started. 

"Yes, it would be great to have a championship, and in the short term you feel amazing, but I don't think you'd be proud of that in the long run.

"It's not how I want to win a championship."

Norris has shown his ability to challenge the three-time world champion on track this season, with the Briton finishing on the podium 10 times so far. 

The pair also locked horns at the Austrian Grand Prix, with Norris and Verstappen colliding on lap 64, forcing the former to retire in what could prove to be a pivotal moment in deciding who claims the drivers' championship. 

Norris needs to gain an average of just under eight points a weekend over the remaining eight Grand Prix's to beat Verstappen to the title but wants to do it the right way.

"I want to win it by fighting against Max and beating Max, beating my competitors and proving I'm the best on track. That's how I want to race," Norris said. 

But both Norris and Piastri played down the idea the Australian might be asked to sacrifice a win for his team-mate.

Norris said: "Probably not. In general, probably for lower positions, but if he's fought for a win and he's deserving of a win, then he deserves to win.

"Oscar is still fighting for his own racing, he's still going out and doing his stuff. And it could be that there's no time this year that he needs to help me.

"It's more that I've got Oscar's help when needs be, but he's still going out with that intent of every session of fighting for himself."

"The team have asked me to help out, and I've said for the last few races that if I was asked, then I would," Piastri added.

"Of course, naturally, as a driver, it's never an easy thing or a simple thing to agree to. But again, there's a much bigger picture in play than just myself.

"It still needs some more discussions, but the main point is it's not just going to be me pulling over for Lando every race because that's how none of us, including Lando, want to race.

"Trying to go through all the scenarios is impossible. We don't want to discuss that publicly, but the main one is if we feel one has done a much better job on a weekend, whichever way it is, we want that person to be rewarded.

"And that's where it becomes a little bit tricky still."

McLaren are set to prioritise Lando Norris over team-mate Oscar Piastri in their bid to win both Formula One championship titles, starting in Baku this weekend. 

McLaren currently sit second in the constructors' championship, eight points behind Red Bull, with both Norris and Piastri also in the top five of the drivers' standings.

Having tossed and turned about how to attack the final eight races of the season, the British-based team have opted to back Norris ahead of the Australian. 

However, Andrea Stella said the decision to back the Brit in dethroning Max Verstappen would only happen within the team's principles of sportsmanship and fairness.

"The overall concept is we are incredibly determined to win, but we want to win in the right way," Stella said. 

Norris arrives at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix off the back of a third-placed finish in Monza, coming in six seconds behind team-mate Piastri. 

But Norris was able to add 16 points to his drivers' championship tally, closing the gap to Verstappen to 62 points after the Dutchman finished in sixth. 

Piastri finds himself 106 points behind Verstappen, but Stella continued to reiterate McLaren's 'papaya rules'. 

"We [will] bias our support to Lando but we want to do it without too much compromise on our principles," he said.

"Our principles are that the team interest always comes first. Sportsmanship for us is important in the overall way we go racing.

"And then we want to be fair to both drivers."

Until now, McLaren had allowed Norris and Piastri to race each other without interference from the team.

But a series of meetings at McLaren have resulted in a shift in policy after failing to capitalise on a one-two in qualifying at the Italian Grand Prix last time out.

Norris, who started on pole, endured another slow start out of the blocks, allowing Piastri to narrowly squeeze past his team-mate on the opening lap. 

But in doing so, it allowed Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to position himself between the two McLarens, with the Monegasque eventually roaring to victory on Italian soil.

"What we don't want to see any more is a situation like in Monza in which we enter a chicane P1/P2, and we exit P1/P3, because that is a detriment to the team," Stella said.

"The team interests come first and these are the situations that above all we need to fix, because eventually, as a matter of fact, the way we entered the race in Monza left the door open for this situation.

"After Monza, three objectives: we need to make sure that anything that happens on track is not to the detriment of the team.

"Second objective, how do we win both championships, both drivers committed to help? But what we don't want to do is win in a reckless way.

"Those are the three topics and they define the way we go racing in Baku. This will be updated after Baku."

Verstappen triumphed in seven of the first 10 races of the 2024 season, with the Dutchman looking destined to run away with the drivers' championship once again. 

But Red Bull's recent struggles on the track have been alarming, with Verstappen now six grands prix without a victory (his worst streak since the penultimate GP of 2020 when he went 11 in a row).

It has allowed Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren to catch up in the respective championship standings, with Red Bull left bemused as to why a once-dominant car has seen its performance drop so dramatically. 

But another team's misfortune has certainly been McLaren's gain, with Stella assuring that both Norris and Piastri were onboard with the shift in philosophy. 

"The conversations have been very collaborative," Stella concluded.

"Even when I said to Oscar: 'Would you be available to give up a victory?' He said: 'It's painful, but if it's the right thing to do now, I will do it'.

"Every driver is hard-wired to go for a victory. So I am always very impressed by the level of team spirit and maturity and collaboration that we found in this period."

DRIVERS TO WATCH

Lando Norris - McLaren

With all the talk surrounding Norris ahead of this weekend's race in Baku, the Brit will be keen to make amends and continue his pursuit of Verstappen. 

For the first time in 2024, Norris has finished ahead of the Dutchman in two straight races. Throughout Verstappen's dry spell, the Brit has only closed the gap on him by seven points in the drivers' championship, though. 

While Norris' full focus will be on closing the gap to Verstappen, he has the opportunity to put himself among the elite British racers to have competed in the competition. 

The 24-year-old is one podium away from equalling Stirling Moss and John Surtees to enter the top 10 of British drivers with the most podiums (24).

If he does achieve that feat, David Coulthard (62) and Eddie Irvine (26) will be the only British non-world champions who have achieved more podiums than Norris in the history of F1.

But there is also a lot at stake for McLaren. They are now just eight points behind Red Bull in the constructors' standings, knowing a better finish than their opponents will see them top the rankings for the first time since Brazil in 2005.

And they have reason for optimism too. McLaren have seen one or both of their drivers stand on the podium in each of the last 12 races in the competition. 

Should they do so again in Baku, it will equal the team's second-best run in the history of the competition (13, which it recorded on two other occasions, between the United States and Portugal in 1990, and Germany 2011 and China 2012), only behind a sequence of 19 between Australia 2007 and Malaysia 2008.

Sergio Perez - Red Bull

No one saw Red Bull's recent struggles coming after a dominant start to the season, but they could spring a surprise with a driver who relishes the Baku street circuit. 

Sergio Perez is still waiting to add to his five wins he has managed with the Austrian-based team, but he may be confident of adding to that tally in Azerbaijan. 

This weekend's grand prix will be the circuit's seventh appearance in the F1 calendar, with the Mexican the only driver to prevail twice around the Baku track (2021 and 2023). 

In fact, it is the only grand prix where the Mexican has won more than one race in his career. 

Given his impressive form in Azerbaijan, Perez has also scored the most points (100) in Baku, the only track on which he has reached the 100-point mark. 

Only a Lewis Hamilton victory and fastest lap would see the seven-time world champion overtake Perez this time around (75 points for Hamilton). 

However, the Mexican has now gone 10 consecutive grands prix without finishing in the top five of the standings, the same number of times as in his previous 41 races in the competition.

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 303

Lando Norris (McLaren) - 241

Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 217

Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 197

Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) - 184

Constructors

Red Bull - 446

McLaren - 438

Ferrari - 407

Mercedes - 292

Aston Martin - 74

Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll insisted the capture of legendary designer Adrian Newey was a "bargain" after confirming his arrival at the team on Tuesday. 

Newey, who announced he would leave Red Bull in May, has put pen to paper on a reported £30million deal, signing on as Managing Technical Director and shareholder.

The 65-year-old has designed cars that have won 25 drivers' and constructors' championships for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull.

Newey was responsible for producing the most dominant car ever seen in the competition, with Red Bull winning 21 of the 22 races during the 2023 season.

Newey will stay with the reigning constructors' champions for the first quarter of 2025 though, officially joining Aston Martin on March 1 next year. 

“I can tell you Adrian is a bargain,” Stroll said. “I’ve been in business for 40 years now and I’ve never been more certain.”

After challenging to break into the traditional top four last season, Aston Martin have struggled to find consistent performances on the track this term. 

They finished on 280 points and ended up fifth in the constructors' standings last year, just 22 points behind Mercedes. 

While they are again in that position this season, they have managed just 74 points from the first 16 races, with their highest finish coming at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix when Fernando Alonso finished in fifth back in March.

Newey's arrival at Aston Martin is the latest in a string of big-name technical appointments, with Mercedes power unit chief Andy Cowell and Ferrari technical director Enrico Cardile also joining the team. 

And Stroll believes that Newey, along with the other additions, can help Aston Martin challenge once again at the top end of the grid. 

“Adrian is key, key, key, and the biggest part of the puzzle, certainly from a technical point of view, from a technical leadership point of view,” said Stroll.

“He will be leading the team and I think that will have a trickle-down effect through the whole organisation.”

Fernando Alonso believes the arrival of legendary designer Adrian Newey means Aston Martin are "the team of the future" in Formula One.

On Tuesday, Aston Martin confirmed Newey had signed on as managing technical director and also become a team shareholder, with his annual salary reported to be £30million.

Newey's departure from Red Bull was confirmed in May after his relationship with team principal Christian Horner came under strain, though he will stay with the constructors' champions through the first quarter of 2025 to work on their RB17 car.

Newey has designed 14 championship-winning cars throughout stints with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, and Alonso believes his arrival bodes well for Aston Martin's future. 

"We've been racing against each other for many years," Alonso said as Newey was unveiled at Aston Martin's headquarters on Tuesday.

"I would say he has been more an inspiration and I think thanks to Adrian and his talent and cars, we all got better as drivers, as engineers, as teams, you know, we all had to raise the bar thanks to him to be able to compete.

"Today is an incredible day for the team. Lawrence Stroll's vision is taking shape with this building, with Adrian, Honda, with Aramco, a new wind tunnel... 

"It's definitely the team of the future I would say. For me, it's going to be an incredible professional opportunity to work with Adrian and to keep working with this green colour which I'm very proud to be part of."

Newey is also excited by the prospect of working with Alonso, revealing the two-time world champion came close to joining him at Red Bull 15 years ago. 

"Fernando of course... We've battled against each other for so many years," Newey said. "He's been a bit of an archenemy at times. 

"We came so close to him joining Red Bull for the 2009 season but unfortunately it didn't quite happen, which is a great shame. 

"So we continued to battle against each other. He's a legend of the sport, so I'm very much looking forward to working with him."

Aston Martin have announced that legendary designer Adrian Newey will join their team from March 2025.

Newey has signed on as Managing Technical Director and is a shareholder in the team, in a deal worth up to £30million.

The 65-year-old's exit from Red Bull was confirmed in May after an apparent breakdown in his relationship with team principal Christian Horner.

Newey will stay with the reigning constructors' champions for the first quarter of 2025 though, to see out his work on the RB17, the company's first hypercar.

"I am thrilled to be joining the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team," Newey said.

"I have been hugely inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment that [team owner] Lawrence [Stroll] brings to everything he is involved with.

"Lawrence is determined to create a world-beating team. He is the only majority team owner who is actively engaged in the sport.

"His commitment is demonstrated in the development of the new AMR Technology Campus and wind tunnel at Silverstone, which are not only state of the art but have a layout that creates a great environment to work in.

"Together with great partners like Honda and Aramco, they have all the key pieces of infrastructure needed to make Aston Martin a world championship-winning team, and I am very much looking forward to helping reach that goal."

The move will see Newey working with two-time world champion Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, the team owner's son.

Newey has designed 14 championship-winning Formula 1 cars across stints with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull.

Aston Martin will be hoping he can do so again for the 2026 season, which will see the introduction of new regulations.

Fred Vasseur left the door ajar to a potential Ferrari return for the "mega professional" Carlos Sainz, ahead of his impending departure at the end of the season. 

Sainz, who will join Alex Albon at Williams in 2025, is being replaced by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, ending his three-year stint with the Italian team. 

During that time, the Spaniard has won three times, the latest of which came at the Australian Grand Prix in March, and currently sits fifth in the drivers' championship. 

Of his 82 races, Sainz has accumulated 794.5 points, needing 63 points from the final eight races of the campaign to better his highest total in the competition (246 in 2022).

Vasseur said that he would “for sure” like to work with Sainz again in the future, as he repeated that the call to replace him with Hamilton “was not an easy one”.

“I’m more than pleased to have Carlos [in the team] and I will keep a very good relationship with him,” said Vasseur.

Ferrari's success at the Italian Grand Prix, a race that Charles Leclerc emerged victorious in, marked Sainz's last as a Ferrari driver at Monza. 

The Spaniard has not been on the podium since a third-place finish at the Austrian Grand Prix, but will be aiming to continue his impressive qualifying form in Baku. 

Sainz has improved his qualifying position in the last three Grand Prix's, and if he can do so in Azerbaijan, will equal his second-best streak for Ferrari.

But speaking after the Italian Grand Prix, Vasseur took a moment to reflect on Sainz's contribution to the Maranello outfit.

“I have huge respect for Carlos, for what he did for the team in the last years, but mainly the last two years with me [as team boss],” Vasseur commented.

“I can perfectly see what he did last year, mainly when we had trouble, he was able to push the team to come back with the pole in Monza, to win in Singapore.

"This pushed a little bit probably also Charles to react and he did [many] first rows [on the grid] in a row.

“He was clearly part of the recovery of the team last year and this season he’s doing a very good job.

"I know perfectly that the situation was not easy at the beginning of the season, but he’s mega professional.

“We had a discussion last winter and we agreed together to push until the last corner of the last lap [of the season] and he’s doing very well.”

Jamaica’s Fraser McConnell delivered a stellar performance, finishing second in the final of the second round of the Nitrocross season at Richmond Raceway on Sunday. Despite a half-spin on the opening lap that cost him the lead, McConnell fought hard throughout the six-lap race, coming within just 0.759 seconds of the eventual winner, Sweden’s Oliver Eriksson.

 Eriksson, driving for Olsbergs MSE, capitalized on McConnell’s early mishap to snatch the lead, which he held for the remainder of the race. However, McConnell, piloting his DRR Dodge vehicle for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing + Team Frazzz, kept the pressure on the Swedish driver, reducing the gap to just 0.302 seconds by lap four. Both drivers took their joker laps on the final lap, but Eriksson maintained his lead to claim victory.

 McConnell’s tenacity and consistent lap times ensured he and Eriksson distanced themselves from the rest of the field. Belgian driver Viktor Vranckx finished third, securing his first podium finish in Nitrocross and becoming the youngest podium finisher in the premier Group E class at just 19 years old.

 In a race filled with drama, reigning champion Robin Larsson managed to advance from sixth on the grid to finish fourth, while Tanner Foust completed the top five. Lia Block, who was running in fifth, finished sixth after being overtaken by Foust on the final lap.

 McConnell’s second-place finish solidifies his position in the championship standings, where he now sits 11 points behind new leader Eriksson. Larsson, Saturday’s winner in Richmond, is third, trailing McConnell by four points. Vranckx’s podium finish places him fourth in the overall standings, 16 points ahead of Andreas Bakkerud, who retired from Sunday’s race after sustaining terminal damage in a collision.

 As the Nitrocross season heats up, McConnell remains a strong contender for the title, and his resilience in Richmond demonstrates that he’s far from done in his pursuit of the championship.

Jamaica’s motorsport sensation, Fraser McConnell, is set to begin his third season in Nitrocross this Saturday and Sunday with exciting news—his team, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, has officially secured a sponsorship deal with Dodge.

The partnership means McConnell will race in the 1,000-plus-horsepower Dodge Hornet R/T FC1-X electric-powered car throughout the 2024-25 season which gears off at the newly introduced Richmond Raceway in Virginia.

Fraser McConnell, who has rapidly ascended the ranks in Nitrocross, is eager to begin this season with the backing of Dodge, a brand synonymous with power and performance. 

"It’s an honour to have a powerhouse brand like Dodge come on board to support us this season. Their commitment to motorsport aligns perfectly with our team's vision for success, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve together," said McConnell.

Last season, McConnell made waves in the Nitrocross circuit, capturing multiple wins and securing a second-place finish, just behind champion Robin Larsson. With victories in Phoenix and Las Vegas and a runner-up spot in Round Six, McConnell is determined to build on his previous success.

As he prepares for the Richmond race this weekend, McConnell is confident and ready to make an impact. 

"This new partnership with Dodge is a huge boost for the team, and I can't wait to hit the track. Richmond is a brand new venue, which makes it an exciting challenge for everyone. We’re going to give it everything we’ve got, and with the support of Dodge, we’re ready to take on the world."

Fans can look forward to a thrilling Nitrocross season, with 10 rounds spanning five venues, including stops in Richmond, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Miami, and Las Vegas, running from September 7 through March 2. Fraser McConnell and his team, now powered by Dodge, are poised to deliver an unforgettable season filled with high-speed, adrenaline-fueled action.

Action is live on Rumble at 3:00pm Jamaica time.

Mattia Binotto insists the opportunity to have "full control" over Audi's Formula One venture is the only project that could have enticed him back into the sport after leaving Ferrari.

Binotto spent 18 months out of F1 after leaving his role as Ferrari team principal at the end of the 2022 season, when the Scuderia's title challenge faded in disappointing fashion.

But in July it was confirmed he would take over from Andreas Seidl as the figurehead of Audi's F1 project, with the German manufacturer set to take Sauber's place on the grid from the 2026 season onwards.

Binotto had been part of Ferrari's team since 1995, contributing to eight constructors' championship triumphs before stepping up to become team principal in 2019.

He says the Scuderia still feels like his family, but the chance to mould the Audi team in his image was too good an opportunity to turn down.

"To be back is great for me. I'm very happy with the new challenge. All my past life has been with Ferrari – 28 years is a long time," he told the Formula One website.

"I started there as a graduate – it has become my family but now that is the past. Now I'm coming back in the paddock wearing a new shirt.

"After Ferrari, I thought I would accept only a real challenge. Honestly, Audi was the only team I hoped to join, because of the challenge, because of the ambition, because it's for Audi, the very first time in F1.

"I'm lucky they called me. It had been very sudden. In a couple of days, we decided. It was simple. 

"The opportunity was to be empowered for the entire project, full power – and that was what I was looking for. I'm so grateful and thankful for the offer, but very conscious how much there is to do.

"The gap is very big to be a winning team. But we have the resources, we have the support from Audi. I think we have all we need to achieve it."

Sauber are the only team yet to pick up a point in the constructors' championship this season, sitting six points behind Williams at the foot of the standings.

Toto Wolff understands that any mistakes made by Kimi Antonelli will be placed under the microscope, even more so than future team-mate George Russell experienced at Williams. 

Antonelli, who currently sits sixth in the Formula 2 drivers' championship, was confirmed as Lewis Hamilton's replacement for Mercedes in the 2025 season last month. 

The news broke merely 24 hours after the Italian made his debut in the opening practice session at Monza, impressing in his first few laps. 

However, the 18-year-old's time behind the wheel quickly came to an end when he spun wildly entering the final corner of the track after just 10 minutes of running.

Before making the step up to Mercedes in 2022, future team-mate Russell spent three years with Williams, who found themselves as consistent back markers during his time there.

And while Wolff felt Russell's time with Williams should have been shorter, he acknowledged that his mistakes went largely unnoticed given the team's position in the constructors' championship, something that will be different for Antonelli.

“Obviously, maybe we’ve learned the lesson, George was maybe too long at Williams,” said Wolff.

“[He] did some of the mistakes at Williams where he was not so visible. Now we’ve fast-tracked Kimi, mistakes are going to be more visible because it’s in a Mercedes.

“But we’re absolutely ready for that investment, and having these two guys – full Mercedes juniors now in Formula 1 – is really great to see.

"It’s testament to the work of the junior team, looking at the minis today, the under-10s that are racing in karting.”

It took Russell 81 starts to claim his first triumph in the competition, coming in Sao Paulo two years ago. 

He has since claimed 13 podiums for Mercedes, securing a second career victory earlier this season at the Austrian Grand Prix.

And despite a nervy start to his F1 career, Russell is confident that any mistakes Antonelli makes will be crucial for his development.

“When I look back to when I was 18 years old, there’s obviously so much to learn,” Russell conceded.

“But I think, as a driver, you have the speed or you don’t have the speed, and I’m very confident Kimi has the speed.

“I think everybody on their journey is going to make mistakes, and that’s part of life and part of this sport. I’ve no doubt Kimi’s going to learn from [his FP1 at Monza].

“He’s definitely got the speed to help Mercedes get back to the front of the grid for next year onwards, and that’s why he’s going to be in the car alongside me next year.”

Christian Horner has praised Max Verstappen's attitude during Red Bull's recent struggles, but he is confident the team can make a comeback in the final eight races. 

Verstappen saw his lead cut at the top of the drivers' championship to 62 points by McLaren's Lando Norris in Monza, with Charles Leclerc also closing the gap. 

The Dutchman has now gone five Grand Prix's without a pole position, his worst streak since the sixth race of the 2021 season (five). 

He has also failed to emerge victorious in his last six Grand Prix's, with the last time he stood on the top step being at Barcelona in June.

“What’s really impressed me with Max is how he’s really engaged in this process,” said Horner.

“He’s not panicking, he’s working with the engineers, he’s explaining very clearly where the issues are, he’s putting the time and effort in.

“He was in early this morning, he was on Zoom calls last week, he’ll be on the simulator before the next race, and he’s really working hard at this.

"I think he’s shown great maturity as a world champion, the way he’s working with the engineering group.

“Nobody likes the situation we’re in at the moment, nobody’s happy with it and we’ve got to work really hard to turn it around.

"But the one thing this team has is strength and depth in talent, and we’ll come back.”

Red Bull's struggles have also seen their advantage at the top of the constructors' standings evaporate, and are now only eight points clear of McLaren, with Ferrari 39 points off the pace. 

But a return to action next weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix offers the team a chance to bridge the gap to those below them. 

Only one driver has achieved more than one victory on the streets of Baku, with that man being Verstappen's team-mate, Sergio Perez, who won in 2021 and 2023.

The Mexican has scored the most points on the circuit (100), with only a Lewis Hamilton victory and fastest lap being enough to overtake the Red Bull driver (75). 

But Perez has now gone 10 consecutive Grands Prix without finishing in the top five of the standings, the same number of times as in his previous 41 races in Formula 1. 

However, Horner is optimistic that solutions can be put in place prior to the upcoming double header of Azerbaijan and Singapore.

“The most important thing is understanding the issue, and I think there are certain fixes that potentially can be introduced, perhaps not the resolve the whole issue but address some of it,” Horner said.

“I think we have a two-week period before Baku and Singapore and then we have another mini-break where we can work in-between Singapore and Austin, so this time now is crucial.”

Oliver Bearman will replace the suspended Kevin Magnussen for Haas at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix following his incident at Monza last weekend. 

Magnussen, who finished 10th at the Italian Grand Prix, was handed a 10-second time penalty and two penalty points after a clash with Alpine's Pierre Gasly. 

The Dane was subsequently banned for one race after reaching the maximum 12 penalty points on his Super Licence within the space of a year. 

Magnussen is the first driver since Romain Grosjean back in 2012 to recieve a ban after the Frenchman caused a multi-car incident at the Belgian Grand Prix. 

With Bearman part of Haas' all-new driver line-up next year alongside Esteban Ocon, it provides an opportunity to familiarise himself with the car he will be driving in 2025.

The 19-year-old made his Formula 1 debut earlier this year when he stood-in for the unwell Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. 

Bearman finished in seventh place, scoring points on his first start for Ferrari and is looking forward to the challenge of Baku's street circuit next week. 

“It’s definitely more of a challenge stepping in to race as a reserve driver, with limited prep-time and so on," Bearman said.

"But I’m in the fortunate position of having done it earlier in the year with Ferrari, so I can at least call on that experience.

"I’ve also had four FP1 sessions with the Haas F1 Team in the VF-24 this season, so undoubtedly, that will also prove to be valuable in tackling the full race weekend.

"The team is in good form at the moment and I’ll do my best to be prepared with the time we have available.

"The aim is to get out there and have a solid weekend in Azerbaijan.”

Team Principal Ayao Komatsu added: “I’m excited that Ollie will be driving the VF-24 alongside Nico in Baku.

"He’s already shown great promise in his FP1 outings and post-season test, and he performed very well when he drove for Scuderia Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, picking up points in the process.

"This is another excellent opportunity for both Ollie and the team to work together, this time throughout an entire race weekend, and he couldn’t ask for better teammate than Nico to provide him with a reference.”

Fernando Alonso insisted that Aston Martin are "doing something really wrong" after missing out on the top 10 at Monza despite Kevin Magnussen's penalty. 

Alonso, who ended up outside the points for only the sixth time this season at the Italian Grand Prix, finished less than two tenths of a second behind the Dane's Haas. 

Magnussen was handed a 10-second penalty after a collision with Alpine's Pierre Gasly, with the Spaniard and Williams' Alex Albon chasing hard to get within that margin.

However, Alonso's two-stop strategy saw him playing catch up after being jumped by the one-stopping Albon, with the 28-year-old finishing the race in ninth. 

Alonso has scored in the past two races, while Aston Martin look assured of fifth in the constructors’ standings this season, being 40 points ahead of RB.

But Alonso couldn’t hide his frustration after the race at battling with cars lower down the field, having been fighting at the top end of the grid only 12 months ago.

“I hope we understand things that we are doing wrong, as definitely we are doing something really wrong and we get better for Baku,” Alonso said.

Alonso's team-mate, Lance Stroll, propped up the field after taking a third pit stop in an optimistic bid to deny anyone in the top 10 the fastest lap bonus point.

But their attention will now turn to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and should both Aston Martin's drivers score at least 14 points in Baku, they will become the 14th team to reach the 500-point mark in the history of Formula 1 (currently 486), also equalling Toro Rosso's record (500). 

After Aston Martin's recent struggles, both Alonso and Stroll have hope that the team can entice former Red Bull designer Adrian Newey to the team after emerging as one of the front runners to claim his signature in recent weeks.