Antonelli takes 81-point lead into Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Kimi Antonelli heads into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with an 81-point lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell, but the championship leader says the title remains undecided as he seeks a third consecutive victory in Baku. Antonelli, who has won eight races this season, said he plans to approach the remaining rounds one at a time and keep working to deliver results. The 20-year-old said there was still a long way to go and that the season would be intense. His reported margin is more than double the largest advantage held by Oscar Piastri at the same stage last year, when Piastri’s title challenge began to unravel after a difficult race in Baku. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is scheduled for Saturday, September 26, with practice on Thursday and qualifying on Friday. The race was moved to Saturday to accommodate Azerbaijan’s Remembrance Day on Sunday. It opens a three-race run in three weeks, with Malaysia and Singapore to follow. The Malaysia round carries branding associated with the called-off Bahrain Grand Prix. Baku’s high-speed street circuit is regarded as a demanding venue where incidents can affect results.