In the opening practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Friday, Lando Norris delivered a surprising top performance, securing first place ahead of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. The session, held on Baku’s challenging street circuit, was marked by an unexpected disruption but still saw Norris and Piastri lead the timesheets, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc closely following.
McLaren Dominate Initial Practice Runs Despite Technical Setbacks
Lando Norris set the pace early with a 1:43.747 lap time on Pirelli’s softest C6 tires, outpacing several title contenders including George Russell of Mercedes, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and reigning world champion Max Verstappen. However, the session faced a lengthy interruption just 13 minutes in, when a loose kerb at the exit of Baku’s final corner triggered a red flag, forcing marshals to repair the track.
Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri encountered power unit problems on his McLaren MCL39, temporarily halting his running. The delay proved advantageous as his issue was swiftly resolved during the stoppage, allowing him to return once the session resumed with 21 minutes remaining. This gave both McLaren drivers ample opportunity to improve their times under better track conditions.
Track Repairs Trigger Intense Final Runs
When the session restarted, the competition intensified quickly. Verstappen initially moved to second, just 0.043 seconds behind Norris. Norris responded emphatically by shaving over a second from his previous best, recording a 1:42.704. Piastri clocked a 1:43.014 to secure third, while Leclerc and Russell kept pace, slotting into fourth and fifth.
Alex Albon also impressed by entering the top five before track grip significantly increased near the session’s end. Piastri narrowed the gap on fresh soft tyres during his final attempt but remained three-tenths behind Norris. Leclerc stayed in third place, roughly half a second off the lead, followed closely by Russell and Albon.
Strong Performances Beyond McLaren and Ferrari
Yuki Tsunoda delivered a solid start for Red Bull’s second car, holding sixth place narrowly ahead of Verstappen. Verstappen’s final run was compromised after he overshot Turn 14 and diverted to the escape road, limiting his chance to improve. Carlos Sainz rounded out the top eight, while Racing Bulls teammates Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar secured ninth and tenth positions respectively.
Despite the session’s interruption, Baku’s tight street layout kept incidents relatively minimal. Lewis Hamilton narrowly avoided significant damage after brushing the inside wall of the left-hander at Turn 5, a misjudgment that could have ended his practice early. Esteban Ocon and Isack Hadjar each experienced dramatic lock-ups but did not suffer terminal setbacks.
Practice Session Results Highlight Track and Tyre Strategies
Teams relied heavily on Pirelli’s softest tire compound, the C6, in a bid to test strategies for what is expected to be a predominantly one-stop race. The Italian manufacturer introduced these ultra-soft tires previously in Monaco and Imola, aiming to add variability to the race pace in Baku. With the street circuit’s narrow confines and mixed surface grip, effective tire management and track position will be paramount moving forward into qualifying and the race.
Looking Ahead to the Rest of the Azerbaijan GP Weekend
The strong showing from McLaren, with Norris and Piastri leading the field in FP1, signals a potentially significant challenge to the usual dominance of Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Norris’s pace on the softest tires demonstrates McLaren’s growing competitiveness on street circuits, setting the stage for an intense qualifying session. Teams will analyze data from this interrupted session closely to optimize their setups on Baku’s unique and demanding corners.
As the weekend progresses, attention will also focus on how Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen respond in FP2 and qualifying, particularly with the added grip and evolving track conditions. Meanwhile, the resolution of any remaining technical issues for Oscar Piastri and the performance consistency of other frontrunners like George Russell and Lewis Hamilton will be crucial factors in the battle for grid positions.
The outcome of FP1 in Baku underlines the importance of reliability and adaptability on this technical street circuit, where even minor issues can affect session and race performance substantially. McLaren’s early dominance, led by Lando Norris, could represent a pivotal moment in their campaign as the team looks to build momentum in the 2024 Formula 1 season.
