During the first free practice session (FP1) at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton collided with the wall at Turn 5, damaging his front wing and forcing a return to the pits. The incident, combined with another issue in the session, led to a red flag that paused the runs on the Baku track, intensifying tension ahead of qualifying and the race.
Hamilton suffered a puncture from the wall impact, which severely affected his car’s front wing. Despite this setback, the Ferrari crew quickly replaced the damaged part, allowing him to resume on track for the final minutes of FP1. Meanwhile, championship leader Oscar Piastri faced his own difficulties when power unit problems pushed him into the garage early in the session.
The session’s red flag was initially due to a loose piece of rubber debris at Turn 16, where marshals worked to remove it from beneath the kerb. However, after clearing the rubber, the session did not immediately restart because the kerb itself had become dislodged at the same corner. This track damage prevented cars from leaving the pit lane, leaving drivers waiting as yellow flag conditions persisted and 20 minutes of valuable running time was lost.
This unexpected stoppage provided an opportunity for Piastri’s McLaren team to address the power unit failure. The team successfully repaired the issue, enabling the championship leader to rejoin the track before the session ended, thus salvaging some critical setup work for the weekend.
Details from FP1: Key Times and Driver Standings
Lando Norris topped the timesheets in FP1 with a lap of 1:42.704, narrowly ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished just 0.310 seconds behind. Charles Leclerc placed third for Ferrari, trailing Norris by 0.552 seconds, while George Russell contributed a strong showing in fourth for Mercedes, only 0.553 seconds off the pace.
Alex Albon was the top driver for Williams in fifth place, followed closely by Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda and Max Verstappen, who took sixth and seventh respectively. Carlos Sainz secured eighth for Williams, with Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar rounding out the top ten for Racing Bulls.
Lewis Hamilton was 13th fastest after his interrupted session, sharing the same deficit time (approximately 1.38 seconds behind Norris) as Gabriel Bortoleto of Kick Sauber. Other notable midfield performances included Fernando Alonso in 15th for Aston Martin and Lance Stroll in 17th.
Current World Champion and Upcoming Sessions
Max Verstappen remains the reigning world champion, having secured his fourth drivers’ title last year. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend continues with FP2 scheduled later on Friday at 1:00 pm BST and FP3 set for Saturday morning at 9:30 am BST, offering more chances for teams to prepare their cars ahead of qualifying and the race.
Impacts of the FP1 Disruptions on the Race Weekend
The disruptions during FP1 highlight ongoing challenges faced by teams in Baku, particularly with track conditions and car reliability. Hamilton’s crash and subsequent repair time reduced his opportunity to fine-tune setup on this narrow and demanding street circuit, while the red flag compromised running for multiple drivers.
Conversely, the red flag incident proved beneficial for Piastri, giving McLaren a crucial window to fix his power unit and get him back on track. Such developments could influence the championship struggle as rivals Madison in their preparation under these tense conditions. With limited track time and high stakes, teams must adapt quickly to maximize their performance over the weekend.
“Session failed to resume, and the pit lane remained closed as yellow flag conditions lingered.” ?Marshal
