Max Verstappen quickest as Leclerc and...crash out of first practice...

Max Verstappen quickest as Leclerc and…crash out of first practice…read more

Max Verstappen topped the timesheets in the opening practice session for the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, leading Lewis Hamilton by three-tenths of a second in a disrupted session at the Baku City Circuit. The session was interrupted by three red flags, as both Charles Leclerc and rookie Franco Colapinto crashed out.

The first practice was an eventful one, particularly for two rookies on the grid. Williams driver Colapinto had never driven at the Baku circuit before, while Oliver Bearman was making his debut in a Friday practice session for a grand prix he would later race in.

As the drivers began to take to the track, Oscar Piastri immediately noted the low grip on the street circuit. Most drivers opted to run on medium tyres for their initial laps of the weekend. Hamilton set the early benchmark with a 1’47.618, establishing himself at the top of the timing sheets.

However, the session was soon stopped due to a red flag caused by debris on the track. The marshals quickly cleared the issue, allowing the drivers to resume running. Leclerc, who had been out earlier on medium tyres, returned to the track and quickly posted the fastest time with a 1’46.608, just under half a tenth quicker than Verstappen, who was close behind in second.

Leclerc continued to push but encountered trouble on his 11th lap. While improving through the first sector, he ran wide onto the dusty section of the circuit approaching turn 15. The Ferrari driver locked up and crashed heavily into the barriers, causing significant damage to the front of his car. This brought out the second red flag of the session, ending Leclerc’s participation for the day.

Once the session resumed, several drivers switched to soft tyres, aiming to improve their times. Hamilton managed to go fastest with a lap of 1’45.859, but the session was immediately interrupted again by another red flag. This time, Colapinto lost control of his Williams at the exit of turn four and crashed into the wall. Fortunately, the rookie was unharmed, though his car sustained significant damage.

After a brief pause, the session resumed with 11 minutes remaining on the clock. Verstappen, now on a set of six-lap-old soft tyres, quickly set about closing the gap to Hamilton. He ultimately posted the fastest time of the session, beating Hamilton by three-tenths of a second with a 1’45.559, securing the top spot for Red Bull.

Behind Verstappen and Hamilton, Sergio Perez finished third, just half a tenth behind his Mercedes rival. Lando Norris took fourth place despite only running on medium tyres, while Carlos Sainz, Oscar Piastri, and Fernando Alonso were all within a second of Verstappen’s time. George Russell ended the session in eighth, with Leclerc, despite his crash, finishing ninth.

Daniel Ricciardo rounded out the top ten, just ahead of the Haas duo of Bearman and Nico Hulkenberg. Hulkenberg faced issues of his own during the session, suffering from a DRS fault that hampered his performance.

Esteban Ocon endured a frustrating session, failing to set a timed lap in his Alpine. The French driver reported a lack of power on his out lap, leaving him sidelined for the remainder of the practice session.

The chaotic opening practice at the Baku City Circuit set the stage for what could be an unpredictable weekend. While Verstappen emerged quickest, the session’s multiple red flags and the low-grip conditions suggest that the drivers will face further challenges as they continue to adapt to the unique demands of the street circuit.

With more practice sessions to come, the teams will be eager to gather as much data as possible to fine-tune their setups ahead of qualifying and the race.