Lando Norris set the pace in a disrupted first practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, clocking a 1m42.704s to lead McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
The session on Baku’s challenging street circuit was marred by a lengthy red flag due to a loose kerb, limiting the field’s running time.
Norris dominated the early stages of practice, outpacing on Pirelli’s soft compound Mercedes’ George Russell, Leclerc, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
However, 13 minutes in, a loose kerb at the final corner triggered a red flag, halting the session for repairs. This stoppage allowed McLaren to resolve a power unit issue on Piastri’s MCL39, enabling his return post-restart.
With only 21 minutes left after the restart, teams scrambled for data. Verstappen briefly closed the gap to Norris, clocking a time just 0.043s shy. But Norris responded emphatically, shaving a second off his earlier best to secure top spot.
Piastri, on new softs, climbed to second with a 1m43.014s, three tenths behind Norris, while Leclerc took third, half a second off the pace.
Russell and Williams’ Alex Albon rounded out the top five, with Albon impressing on the rapidly improving track.
Yuki Tsunoda shone for Racing Bulls, finishing sixth, narrowly ahead of Verstappen, who abandoned his final run after a mistake at Turn 14.
Carlos Sainz took eighth for Williams, followed by Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar. Lewis Hamilton narrowly escaped disaster, grazing the Turn 5 wall but avoiding significant damage to his Ferrari.
Despite the interruption, the session remained largely incident-free, with teams adapting to the limited track time. McLaren’s strong showing, led by Norris, signals their intent in Baku, while Piastri’s recovery from early issues bodes well for team papaya’s aim of sealing the Constructors’ title this weekend in Baku.
Leclerc and Russell kept pace, but Verstappen’s struggles highlight Red Bull’s need for setup tweaks.
With Pirelli’s C6 tyre adding intrigue, the stage is set for a competitive weekend on Baku’s unforgiving streets.
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