Max Verstappen kicked off the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend by clocking the fastest time in the disrupted first practice session. The session was filled with drama, including significant crashes involving Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Williams’ Franco Colapinto, which brought out multiple red flags.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix FP1: Leclerc’s Early Pace Comes to a Crashing Halt
Charles Leclerc, known for his exceptional performances at Baku, came into FP1 as one of the favorites. Having taken pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in the last three seasons, the Monegasque driver appeared to be on form once again, leading the timesheets on medium tires early in the session. His Ferrari looked competitive as he built confidence around the narrow and tricky street circuit.
However, with around 30 minutes left in the session, Leclerc misjudged his approach to Turn 15, clipping the dirt on the outside. This caused him to lose control of his Ferrari, which slid into the barriers, bringing an abrupt end to his session. The impact wasn’t severe in terms of damage, but it was enough to warrant a red flag as marshals worked to clear the car and repair the barriers.
Leclerc’s crash was a reminder of how unforgiving the Baku street circuit can be, especially with the low grip levels on a track that is not used for racing for the majority of the year.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix FP1: Verstappen Tops the Timing Sheets with a Late Charge
Once the session resumed, teams shifted focus to running soft tires—Pirelli’s softest compound, the C5, specially brought to Baku. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took full advantage, setting a blistering lap time of 1m 45.546s in the dying moments of the session to top the timesheets.
Verstappen’s lap was 0.313 seconds faster than Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who looked strong throughout FP1, highlighting the pace of Red Bull in Baku’s street circuit. Red Bull also introduced a minor upgrade to the floor of their car for this weekend, which appeared to have made an immediate impact.
Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s teammate and a previous two-time winner in Baku, also demonstrated Red Bull’s superiority, finishing third. Perez was just 0.376 seconds behind Verstappen, giving the team a solid foundation heading into the weekend.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix FP1: McLaren Impresses as Norris and Piastri Show Strong Pace
McLaren continued their resurgence, with Lando Norris finishing fourth and Oscar Piastri sixth. Norris showed great speed throughout the session, getting to grips with the challenging circuit early on. His teammate, rookie Oscar Piastri, also displayed maturity by consistently posting competitive lap times, reinforcing McLaren’s upward trajectory this season.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz slotted in between the McLarens, ending the session in fifth place. While Sainz couldn’t match Leclerc’s early pace, he was able to secure a solid position in the top five.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix FP1: Alonso and Aston Martin Show Early Promise
Aston Martin had high expectations for Baku, anticipating that the track layout would better suit their car. Fernando Alonso delivered a strong performance, finishing seventh. The two-time world champion’s ability to navigate the narrow streets of Baku has always been one of his strengths, and he demonstrated his experience once again in FP1.
His teammate, Lance Stroll, struggled throughout the session with car balance issues. Stroll’s frustrations were evident over the team radio as he lamented, “This is not a car, this is not a car right now.” He ultimately finished 13th, a long way off his teammate’s pace.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix FP1: Ricciardo and Bearman Deliver Solid Performances
Daniel Ricciardo, still adjusting to his return with Red Bull, finished inside the top 10 in FP1. His tenth-place finish was a respectable showing and a full second quicker than his teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who struggled with bouncing throughout the session.
In a remarkable performance, 19-year-old Ollie Bearman, filling in for Haas’s Kevin Magnussen, finished 11th in his first FP1 appearance. Bearman was 0.162 seconds faster than teammate Nico Hulkenberg, showing maturity and potential in his Haas debut. This outing serves as a promising preview of what Haas fans can expect next season, as Bearman is set to join the team full-time.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix FP1: Colapinto’s Crash Brings Another Red Flag
Franco Colapinto, participating in only his second FP2 session for Williams, was showing an impressive turn of speed before he lost control of his car at Turn 4. The young driver clipped the wall, bringing out the red flag for the third time in the session.
Despite the crash, Colapinto finished 16th, just ahead of his teammate Alex Albon, who also had an off-track moment at Turn 4 but managed to keep his car out of the barriers.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix FP1: Struggles for Alpine and Sauber
It was a difficult session for Alpine, with both drivers struggling. Pierre Gasly ended up in 18th, and Esteban Ocon was last in 20th after failing to set a timed lap due to a power issue early in the session. Ocon managed to return to the pits but was forced to retire from the session as the team investigated the problem.
Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas had a minor off-track moment at the start of the session but finished in 14th. His teammate Zhou Guanyu failed to set a competitive lap time, placing 19th on the timesheets.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix FP1: Practice 1 Result
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Time | Gap | Laps |
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:45.546 | 21 | |
| 2 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:45.859 | +0.313s | 19 |
| 3 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:45.922 | +0.376s | 17 |
| 4 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 1:46.027 | +0.481s | 18 |
| 5 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:46.173 | +0.627s | 21 |
| 6 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 1:46.282 | +0.736s | 18 |
| 7 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:46.452 | +0.906s | 19 |
| 8 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:46.516 | +0.970s | 18 |
| 9 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:46.608 | +1.062s | 11 |
| 10 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB Honda RBPT | 1:46.687 | +1.141s | 23 |
| 11 | 50 | Oliver Bearman | Haas Ferrari | 1:46.973 | +1.427s | 23 |
| 12 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas Ferrari | 1:47.135 | +1.589s | 20 |
| 13 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:47.184 | +1.638s | 15 |
| 14 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:47.640 | +2.094s | 18 |
| 15 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB Honda RBPT | 1:47.708 | +2.162s | 21 |
| 16 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Williams Mercedes | 1:47.901 | +2.355s | 12 |
| 17 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 1:47.955 | +2.409s | 17 |
| 18 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 1:48.712 | +3.166s | 21 |
| 19 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:49.052 | +3.506s | 19 |
| 20 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine Renault | 3 |
Verstappen in Control, Drama Unfolds in Baku
Max Verstappen’s commanding performance in FP1 sets the tone for what promises to be an exciting Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend. With multiple red flags and several drivers crashing out, the session highlighted the unpredictability of the Baku street circuit.
Leclerc’s early pace and subsequent crash, along with strong showings from McLaren and Red Bull, indicate that the weekend will be full of twists and turns. As teams prepare for the next practice sessions and qualifying, all eyes will be on Verstappen and Red Bull as they look to solidify their dominance.
