A messy hour, and Russell still comes out on top
Dust first. Grip later. That’s how Friday practice in Baku always goes, and this one followed the script right up until George Russell put his Mercedes fastest.
His 1’45.387 held up despite a stream of red flags and stoppages. Max Verstappen trailed by four tenths in the Red Bull. Charles Leclerc split the two Ferraris in third, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
Kimi Antonelli barely got a look in. Twenty-five minutes into the session, the rookie parked his Mercedes at Turn 7 with a hydraulic problem, triggering the first virtual safety car of the day. He still salvaged fifth.
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Baku bites early, as usual
Both title contenders had their moments. Verstappen ran wide at Turn 1, Russell did the same at Turn 3, neither with consequence. Arvid Lindblad needed a tow after sliding into Turn 7. Then Nico Hulkenberg’s Audi died at the Turn 4 exit, forcing a second virtual safety car.
Carlos Sainz pitted early, his Williams brakes smoking at the back. Oscar Piastri felt vibrations almost from the moment he left the garage. Isack Hadjar wasn’t spared either, flagging a braking imbalance in the Racing Bulls car.
Why one lap here can wreck a weekend
Baku’s walls sit close enough to punish the smallest slip, especially through the old city’s tight corners before the cars scream down that long seafront straight. That combination explains why practice sessions here rarely stay clean for long.
Red Bull and Mercedes both looked sharp when it mattered, an early hint of who might set the tone once qualifying gets serious.
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