Verstappen Leads FP1; Leclerc Crashes in Baku

Max Verstappen topped the first practice session of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while Charles Leclerc crashed into the barriers.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix began with Free Practice sessions held under a somewhat gray sky and on a greasy, dirty track. As often in Baku, conditions will improve over the course of the sessions on the Azeri track.

Oliver Bearman is contesting his second Formula 1 weekend, his first full one after being called up on Saturday in Jeddah with Ferrari. This time, he replaces the suspended Kevin Magnussen at Haas F1.

Few teams are bringing updates on a circuit where the risk of accidents is high. Red Bull has a new floor that incorporates several solutions seen on different specifications. An “extreme” solution according to Max Verstappen, which may perhaps solve the problems.

At Aston Martin, an update has been made to the rear part of the aerodynamic components between the ducts and the diffuser. RB F1 has brought a front wing specific to the circuit.

Charles Leclerc set an initial benchmark time of 1:48.340, but the track was obviously evolving as the cars ran. Lewis Hamilton did better with a 1:47.618, while Valtteri Bottas made a small error without consequences.

Oscar Piastri slotted in, and Leclerc improved to 1:47.501. Max Verstappen advanced to 1:47.214 at the moment when Lance Stroll was complaining about his Aston Martin AMR24: “It’s not a car. It’s not a car at the moment.”

Hamilton climbed back to third place, and the session was then interrupted due to debris at Turn 12. In free practice especially, but also because this circuit is delicate in terms of intervention, race control took no risks.

Esteban Ocon suffered a mechanical problem and returned without engine power. Verstappen improved to 1:46.858. Leclerc then did better with a 1:46.608. Carlos Sainz made a mistake but did not hit the wall.

However, that was the case for Leclerc who ran into the dust while trying to widen his trajectory and went straight on to hit the wall (see photo below) at the left-hand turn before the descent leading towards the end of the circuit. The Monegasque was unharmed but the session was stopped again.

On soft tires, Sergio Pérez set a time of 1:46.586, and Lando Norris did better with a 1:46.027, while Piastri slotted into second position. Alpine confirmed that Ocon would not return to the track.

A third red flag was waved when Franco Colapinto hit the wall. The Williams F1 driver lost the rear of his car and slid towards the side wall. He was unharmed but the medical car was deployed as a precaution.

Hamilton took the lead with a time of 1:45.859, and Sainz positioned himself third between the McLarens. Verstappen recorded the second-fastest time, just 0.036 seconds behind Hamilton. Pérez then closed in to within 0.063 seconds.

Verstappen once again set the fastest times in the first two sectors and didn’t falter this time, securing the best lap at 1:45.546. He leads ahead of Hamilton and Pérez, followed by Norris, Sainz, and Piastri.

Fernando Alonso is seventh, ahead of George Russell, Leclerc, and Daniel Ricciardo. Bearman leads his teammate Nico Hülkenberg, followed by Stroll and Bottas, Yuki Tsunoda, Colapinto, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, Guanyu Zhou, and Ocon, who did not set a time.

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Three Red Flags Disrupt Azerbaijan GP Practice f1 2024 Three Red Flags Disrupt Azerbaijan GP Practice