P1racenews AI automatic summary:
A difficult weekend ahead for George Russell at the 2025 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
George Russell is battling illness at the 2025 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as he was not feeling well and missed Thursday’s media day in Baku. Mercedes confirmed that Russell’s absence was due to being unwell and needing rest before the track action. Despite his illness, Russell returned to the track on Friday for the first practice session. He showed a decent performance, setting the fourth-fastest time of the day, just behind Lando Norris of McLaren. However, Russell faced challenges during the session, including a red flag delay and reported issues with bottoming on the long straight in Baku. If Russell’s health deteriorates, Mercedes has Valtteri Bottas ready as a standby option, as he will be with Cadillac in 2026.
