Baku, Azerbaijan – Lewis hamilton topped the timesheets in Friday’s practice sessions for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, leading a 1-2 for Ferrari as Lando norris encountered difficulties and McLaren’s true pace remained obscured.
The first practice session was disrupted for Oscar Piastri with an engine issue on his initial pit exit, while a 20-minute red flag – caused by kerb damage – limited running. Despite the disruption, Piastri noted the car’s potential, stating, “A bit tricky…The pace is there, just not the easiest to get the most out of it. We tried a few things in P2. We will look back and see what we can change for tomorrow.”
this weekend marks only the third time this season pirelli has brought its three softest tyre compounds. At the previous two races featuring this selection, the performance difference between the soft and medium tyres was minimal.
Norris described the track as “very different to last year” and acknowledged being behind on understanding the softer compounds, used at Monaco and Imola. He also admitted to a “scrappy session” for both himself and Piastri, adding, “He seemed to be struggling a little bit with the car as well, we will see what we can make up tomorrow.”
Norris also highlighted the expected competitiveness of Ferrari and Red Bull, stating, “Ferrari were easily the quickest here last year even though oscar won. Ferrari will be quick. Red Bull are going to be quick. They are never good on Friday.They go to sleep and then they wake up and they are quick again.”
Hamilton secured the fastest time with an assist from a slipstream provided by Charles Leclerc, beating his teammate by 0.074 seconds. Hamilton reported ”some good learnings there,” referencing the benefit of the tow, and Ferrari is now considering utilizing the tactic in qualifying.
Leclerc, a four-time consecutive pole sitter in Baku, excels on street circuits and in qualifying conditions.
Both McLaren drivers experienced errors on their fastest lap attempts, preventing a clear demonstration of their car’s potential. However, strong long-run pace from Piastri during race simulation runs suggests McLaren remains a leading contender for the weekend.
