Mercedes’ George Russell took his first victory since June by holding off Max Verstappen to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar completed the podium on his return after missing three races with a broken wrist.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished fifth in Baku, meaning his advantage over team-mate Russell has narrowed to 66 points.

This weekend, Formula 1 heads to Malaysia, the host of the Bahrain Grand Prix – an event originally due to take place in April but which was postponed because of the war in the Middle East.

Before the race in Sepang, BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions.

Does Christian Horner really want the team principal job at Ferrari, or even have a shot at it? – Ben

This topic has become a subject for conversation in recent days following an interview Horner did with the Times, external as he promotes his new book.

Horner said: “At this stage in my life, there’s only one team for which I would accept non-participation in ownership.”

Asked whether he would take a job there, he replied: “Would I consider Ferrari? I mean, Ferrari is the biggest brand in Formula 1. It’s the dream. And arguably it’s the sleeping giant of Formula 1.”

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur made his views about Horner’s intervention pretty plain after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix when he said: “Mr Horner is looking for a job – that, everybody knows – everywhere.”

Vasseur said the speculation surrounding the team meant Ferrari were “not working in the perfect serenity”.

Horner’s comments seem to make it clear that he would consider a job offer from Ferrari. But the key questions are under what conditions he might accept it, and whether he would be offered it in the first place.

Horner has made it very clear over the years that he believes an F1 team needs one person in charge and in overall control.

It’s highly unlikely he would get that at Ferrari, where chairman John Elkann and chief executive officer Benedetto Vigna will always have more authority than any team principal.

Even at Red Bull, where Horner had theoretical leadership at the F1 team, he was ultimately answerable to headquarters in Austria and that is what led to his removal in the end.

It’s hard to imagine how Elkann and Vigna could or would countenance any situation where they were removed from any input into the F1 team.

And it’s even harder to imagine a situation where that was not the de facto position even if a team boss had been given assurances they would be left alone.

Then there is the question of whether Ferrari would want Horner.

Horner comes with baggage. All of the above for a start, and on top of that there is the cloud under which he left Red Bull.

There is no doubt that he was a remarkably successful team principal there, the team winning eight drivers’ titles, six constructors’ championships and 124 grands prix in his two-decade tenure.

However, the team unravelled in his final 18 months in charge, in the wake of the accusations of sexual harassment and coercive, controlling behaviour that were made against him by a female employee.

Red Bull dismissed those allegations after two internal investigations led by external lawyers.

But they were a key factor in Adrian Newey leaving his position as chief technical officer – along with internal politics in which Newey felt his role had been diminished by Horner.

Newey was followed out of the door by long-time sporting director Jonathan Wheatley and head of strategy Will Courtenay.

Horner was finally dismissed following a slump in form which Red Bull bosses concluded the team did not appear to be capable of arresting under his leadership.

In the Times interview, Horner says that the only justification he was given by Red Bull for his sacking was “it was more Christian Horner Racing than Red Bull Racing”.

He adds at other points in the interview: “I am a bit of a Marmite character. I know I’m not everybody’s cup of tea. It’s impossible to be.” And: “I’m the cure and the problem.”

Clearly, any decision as to whether Horner is the person you want to lead your F1 team would need careful consideration.

It’s also worth mentioning that Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton has made it pretty clear over the past few years that he has little time for Horner.

Why hasn’t the FIA made a decision on the final two races of the season? They’ve cancelled the final rounds of the World Rally Championship and World Endurance Championship because of the Middle East conflict. Surely they should be confirming the changes in the calendar now? – Nigel

To start with a point of order, it is Formula 1 that decides the calendar – as in, the commercial rights holder – not the FIA, the governing body. The FIA’s role is effectively only to rubber-stamp F1’s decision.

As things stand, F1 is planning to end the season as the calendar was originally scheduled – with Las Vegas followed by Qatar and then Abu Dhabi, external over the last two weekends in November and the first in December.

Although the war continues between the US/Israel and Iran, the advice F1 has been getting is that the situation in those two countries is stable, and there is not a high risk of attacks on civilian infrastructure.

The UK Foreign Office, for example, does not advise against travel to Qatar and Abu Dhabi., external It simply says the situation there “remains unpredictable” and that “there is a risk of more attacks and unforeseen escalation in the region”.

And the two countries consider themselves open for business.

However, F1 has a contingency plan.

Imola in Italy is preparing to host a race on the weekend of Abu Dhabi.

If the two Middle Eastern races cannot happen as a result of an escalation of the situation in the Gulf, Imola would step in and hold the season finale on 4-6 December.

But unless and until that happens, there is no confirmation of changes to make, as there are currently no changes.

We have a busy day’s racing on Tuesday with action from Bath, Sedgefield and Wolverhampton, live on Sky Sports Racing…

3.32 Bath – Talented pair Divide and Conquer and Al Qayed feature

Talented two-year-olds Divide And Conquer and Al Qayed feature in the British EBF Future Stayers’ Novice Stakes.

This has proved an informative novice with Hopewell Rock winning in 2024 before subsequent Juddmonte International winner, Item taking the 2025 edition.

Of the raced runners, these two certainly bring the strongest form to the race. Al Qayed finished well behind the unbeaten Bin Jahwar on debut before improving to place third behind subsequent Royal Lodge third, Quicken Away.

He did not look totally comfortable on the heavy ground that day, as well as looking very raw so should take another step forward for the experience.

Victorious Forever filly, Divide And Conquer was bought for 320,000gns as a yearling. She showed a lot of talent on debut to finish second having been bumped a couple of times in the final half furlong. The third in that race has since won at Haydock and this filly can take a step forward on her second start.

Newcomers Political Resident and Next Best both contain a lot of stamina in their pedigrees and may need their first outings.

3.15 Sedgefield – Passengerontheship and Thank You Blue headline trappy affair

Passengerontheship and Thank You Blue headline a trappy Winning Connection Conference Hire Handicap Chase.

Passengerontheship progressed rapidly over fences midway through the year when landing a five-week fiver-timer, ending in late June. He has risen 28lb during this period before finding a mark of 110 too tough to overcome.

He stayed on well when last see, having been off the bridle from a fair way out and although he should remain competitive, that run suggests the drop back in trip is unlikely to suit.

In contrast, Thank You Blue could relish coming back in trip after finding a six-furlong step up too far. He had been shaping well before this, with a mistake at the last costing him on his penultimate start, and this nine-year-old could put up a career best effort over fences, with conditions to suit.

Tanking Along could prove a big player if coming on for his Cartmel effort last time. He is two from two at the track over fences and remains well-handicapped if returning to form.

Four Decades has shown very little over both hurdles and fences and very much requires a complete transformation to land this contest.

5.30 Wolverhampton – Saeed bin Suroor’s well-bred Arabian Summer returns off 23-month lay-off

Saeed bin Suroor’s well-bred Arabian Summer returns off a 23-month lay-off in the attheraces.com/marketmovers Maiden Stakes.

Arabian Summer is a half-sister to Prix Chaudenay winner and Dubai Gold Cup second, Manobo, but showed some speed at six furlongs on debut, and Saeed bin Suroor is very skilful in preparing his horses after a lengthy lay-off. She could be a player, although it should be tricky against race fit rivals.

Despite being the most exposed, Gold Star Glazing sets a half-decent standard, bumping into the promising Wathnan owned Storm Force last time out. He can put his experience to good use and improve back at seven furlongs.

Battlefield Boy perhaps made the most promising debut when third at Lingfield earlier this month, and Missmisfortune also shaped similarly when third on debut at Kempton.

Best of the rest

2.02 Bath – Decalogue aims to continue his progression following Kempton success.

4.02 Bath – In-form trio Maharajas Express, South Shore and Alondra contest competitive sprint Handicap.

4.15 Sedgefield – Jet Of Dreams attempts to repeat last year’s success back down to the same mark.

4.45 Sedgefield – Close House and Red Shea bid to build on promising bumper debuts.

Chantilly – Informative maidens and Listed contest.

Marseille-Borely – Seven-race card.

World championship leader Kimi Antonelli says he will “re-establish the order” over George Russell at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix after being outperformed by his Mercedes team-mate in Azerbaijan.

Antonelli had finished ahead of Russell in five successive Grands Prix but could only manage fifth in Baku, as the Brit produced his best weekend of the season to claim victory from pole position. The result cut Antonelli’s lead over his Mercedes team-mate to 66 points with eight rounds remaining.

Although he salvaged some points, Antonelli’s performance left plenty of room for improvement ahead of the second leg of the triple-header, with Malaysia set to host the rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Asked whether Russell is now his only title rival after Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton dropped more than 100 points back, Antonelli said: “He’s always been my rival.

“But I’ll make sure next week I re-establish the order and just make sure that I will be at back at my usual level because this weekend I was driving more like my grandma, so it wasn’t the usual Kimi.

“Luckily we have another race coming up, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

The 20-year-old Italian endured a scrappy weekend, missing a major chunk of track time in practice because of a technical issue before crashing in the first part of qualifying to leave himself starting from 16th on the grid.

“FP1 I did three laps and then missed the half of FP2,” Antonelli added. “In FP3, I was getting to the rhythm.

“And then in qualifying, that Q1 one lap was actually okay. But I did a mistake, and then again you re-enter in the bad loop.

“Then in the race, I didn’t have the confidence, and I just at drove 80 per cent the whole time.

“Realistically, I wasn’t there mentally to be able to push 100 per cent as well because I just didn’t have the confidence that I had previous weekends, but it will be much better in Sepang.”

‘Exciting to see battle resume in Malaysia’

Russell underlined his pre-season status as the clear title favourite by winning the season opener in Australia, only to be stunned as Antonelli then claimed the first five victories of his career in successive races.

The Italian remains in control of the title race and has also appeared to hold a race-pace advantage over Russell at almost every circuit.

That finally changed in Baku, where Russell backed up a solid run of form by being faster than Antonelli at every stage of the weekend.

Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord insists the strength of Russell’s performance won’t amount to a psychological blow for Antonelli.

“I don’t really think it makes a difference,” said Lord, who address the media in Baku in the absence of team boss Toto Wolff.

“I think the drivers, they’re setting themselves their own high standards, and they want to perform to those.

“One of the great assets and the great strengths of this team is we’ve got two drivers who are capable of fighting at the very front, putting the car on pole, delivering flawless race wins, and that’s part of the strength of the team.

“Kimi put it behind him and did a great job in the race. George did an incredible job out front, and it’ll be exciting to see them going at it in Malaysia.”

Formula 1 heads to Malaysia for the first time since 2017 as it hosts the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit – watch live coverage from Friday morning, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime