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Jolyon Palmer and James Hinchcliffe tip Kimi Antonelli for victory in Baku and also expect Max Verstappen to finish on the podium. They differ on whether Mercedes can achieve a one-two finish.
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The main difference concerns George Russell. According to RacingNews365, which cites the F1 Nation podcast in its report of 23 September 2026, Hinchcliffe expects a Mercedes one-two: Antonelli ahead of Russell, with Verstappen third. Palmer, by contrast, puts Verstappen second and chooses Lando Norris for third. [1]
Hinchcliffe anticipates a close qualifying battle between the Mercedes drivers, but ultimately favours Antonelli. He bases his choice of Verstappen mainly on his ability to keep reaching the podium; the cited extract offers no specific technical explanation for Baku.
That prediction is consistent with the recent results reported by RacingNews365: four podium finishes in the last five Grands Prix. At the same time, the outlet describes the RB22 as a car that has not been very competitive at times this season. The recent run therefore provides relevant context, but is no proof that Verstappen can secure the same position in Baku. [1]
Palmer predicts a higher finishing position for Verstappen than Hinchcliffe does. Why he expects him to finish ahead of Russell is not explained further in the extract cited by RacingNews365. [1]
1 listed sources · explore evidence, limitations and provenance.
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