Luxury sports car dominating the view for the crowd
In the bustling city of Baku, the Formula One cars roared to life for the first practice sessions of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The day was filled with intrigue and competition, as teams honed their cars for the upcoming race.
Ferrari, led by Charles Leclerc, dominated the sessions, setting the track record with a time of 1'41"119. Leclerc's teammate, Carlos Sainz, also had a strong showing, finishing just behind him. This performance marks a significant advantage for Ferrari, as they aim to break their streak of four consecutive pole positions in Baku that have yet to be converted into victories for Leclerc.
Meanwhile, Mercedes, the world championship leaders, are still assessing their engine usage. According to team principal, Frederic Vasseur, neither Lewis Hamilton nor George Russell have completed a qualifying simulation or a fast lap. Vasseur also mentioned the importance of the race simulation for Ferrari, as they've done few laps but it went well.
Hamilton, who struggled on the shores of the Caspian Sea, had to adjust to the new brakes in the first session but felt better and more confident in the second session. Max Verstappen, who finished 6th after his performance in Monza, is only 6th in Baku, but he has a good balance according to his statement. Verstappen warns the competition about the progress his team is likely to make between Friday and Saturday.
McLaren, who dominated the first hour of practice with Lando Norris ahead of Oscar Piastri, saw a drop in performance after the first two sectors. The team, currently third in the championship, has not presented a new front brake upgrade in Baku, unlike Ferrari who introduced a news front brake duct update specific for the cooling needs on this track, potentially useful on other circuits.
In the battle for the top spots, both Mercedes drivers are almost half a second behind the leaders. Leclerc, however, believes anything can happen on this track, and that the best starting position will depend on who has the best cards. He considers the first practice day in Baku as good, but sees potential for further improvement.
Elsewhere, Verstappen's Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, had a crash into the barriers, damaging the left rear suspension. This setback left the world championship leader finishing 12th, two places behind Perez.
As the weekend progresses, teams will continue to fine-tune their cars in preparation for qualifying and the main race. The competition is fierce, and every fraction of a second counts. Stay tuned for more updates from Baku.
