JUST IN: Russell fastest in FP3, both McLarens ahead of Verstappen and… in Baku. Read more
Russell fastest in FP3, both McLarens ahead of Verstappen and… in Baku. Read more
George Russell set the pace in the final practice session (FP3) for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, clocking a time of 1:42.514. The Mercedes driver managed to top the timing sheets, delivering the fastest lap of the weekend so far. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari finished close behind in second place, while McLaren’s Lando Norris rounded off the top three. In an impressive showing, both McLaren cars, with Oscar Piastri finishing in fourth, outperformed reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who could only manage P5.
The session was disrupted twice by red flags, but the brief stoppages didn’t deter Russell, who looked quick throughout. Williams also continued to show promising pace this weekend, with both of their drivers—Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto—finishing inside the top 10. Albon had an especially strong run, leading the session early on, while Colapinto backed up the team’s pace with another solid performance.
FP3 began on a slow note, as rain clouds hovered over the Baku City Circuit. Only a handful of drivers ventured out in the opening 10 minutes, including the Red Bull duo of Verstappen and Sergio Perez, as well as the Aston Martin pair of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. As the track began to dry, more drivers started heading out onto the circuit, and the session began to pick up pace.
However, 15 minutes into the session, the first red flag was brought out when Esteban Ocon’s Alpine came to a stop in Sector 3. Ocon, who had already faced difficulties during Friday’s sessions, was once again hit with reliability issues, cutting his running short.
Following a nearly 10-minute delay, the session resumed, though not without concern as Piastri radioed in to inform his team about light rain beginning to fall in certain areas of the track. Despite this, drivers switched to soft tyres in a bid to set competitive lap times. It was at this point that Williams surprisingly took command of the session, with Albon and Colapinto occupying the top two positions, Albon leading the field with a promising lap as the clock ticked down to 30 minutes remaining.
Just as the session seemed to be settling into a rhythm, another red flag was waved, this time caused by Oliver Bearman. The young British driver locked up going into Turn 1 and attempted to use the escape road, but unfortunately, he collided with the barriers, bringing his practice session to an abrupt end. This second stoppage delayed proceedings for another 10 minutes.
Once the session resumed, with around 22 minutes left on the clock, the McLaren duo quickly took advantage of the situation. Norris led the pack out of the pits, and soon after, his teammate Piastri shot to the top of the timing sheets with a new set of soft tyres, edging ahead of Perez and Leclerc. It was a strong showing from McLaren, especially given their form so far this season, and provided a much-needed boost for the team heading into qualifying.
As the session progressed, the times kept tumbling. Russell, who had been relatively quiet early on, put in a stunning lap late in the session to take P1, pushing Leclerc down to second. Meanwhile, Verstappen and Perez seemed to struggle to match the pace of the frontrunners. Although Verstappen managed P5, it was clear the Red Bull cars were not as dominant as usual, especially around the tight and technical Baku street circuit.
Perez, who finished behind his teammate in P6, was also involved in a minor incident with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. During the final stages of the session, Perez appeared to impede Sainz, leading to an investigation by the stewards. Additionally, it seemed the Red Bull duo were practicing giving each other a slipstream, possibly in preparation for the crucial qualifying session later in the day.
In the midfield, Williams impressed once again, with both Albon and Colapinto showing excellent pace. Albon finished the session comfortably within the top 10, while rookie Colapinto, who has been steadily improving throughout the weekend, also secured a top 10 finish. The British outfit looks to be the fastest team in the midfield this weekend, giving them a strong chance to score points in the race.
With qualifying looming, it remains to be seen if Mercedes and Ferrari can continue to challenge Red Bull’s supremacy. However, based on FP3, it’s clear that Russell, Leclerc, and Norris will be serious contenders for pole position in Azerbaijan.
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