Training for Formula One's Baku event sees McLaren duo taking the lead over Leclerc; kerbs creating pesky complications
In the bustling city of Baku, the second practice session of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was filled with excitement and a fair share of drama. Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, found himself in a challenging position after damaging his tire and front wing following a brush with the wall in Turn 5, ten minutes before the end. Despite this setback, Hamilton had earlier set the fastest time in the session with a impressive 1:41.293 minutes, a feat achieved before Oscar Piastri's McLaren teammate suffered a start problem. Meanwhile, Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar, drivers for Racing Bulls, finished in positions 11 and 12, respectively. George Russell reported a burning smell in his W16, suspecting it to be the brakes, while Charles Leclerc and George Russell took third and fourth positions, respectively. The session was disrupted by a red phase, caused by Carlos Sainz hitting the kerb with his underbody. This incident led to a track closure that lasted for 25 minutes. The restart was not without its own challenges, taking an additional 25 minutes to resume the race. In a surprising turn of events, Alexander Albon finished in fifth place, while Lando Norris set the fastest time in the first Free Practice session. Yuki Tsunoda, who was surprisingly faster than Max Verstappen, placed sixth. The first session, which took place under sunny skies with an air temperature of 26°C and a track temperature of 33°C, and an air humidity of 69%, saw McLaren dominating, despite Piastri's FP1 not running smoothly. The session was not without its minor incidents. Max Verstappen took the escape road in Turn 15, and Alexander Albon touched the wall in the same turn with his right rear tire. Gabriel Bortoleto also caused a yellow flag incident, missing Turn 3 and using the escape road. The second practice session ended with Lando Norris securing the second position, with Oscar Piastri coming in close behind in third. Charles Leclerc, a Baku specialist, finished third, 0.5 seconds behind Norris. The top 10 was completed by Carlos Sainz in the second Williams. As the Grand Prix approaches, the stage is set for an exciting race weekend in Baku.
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