McLaren driver Lando Norris led the way during the opening practice session for Formula 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit.
Norris posted a time of 1:42.704s around the quirky six-kilometre street track on Friday afternoon to finish three-tenths of a second in front of team-mate and title leader Oscar Piastri.
Piastri, who clipped the exit wall at Turn 15 on his fastest lap, had a slow start to the session after being instructed to return to the pits while McLaren investigated a power unit problem.
Piastri was eventually able to return to the circuit, though remained a run behind Norris in terms of build-up, as McLaren finished one-two at the start of an event where it can clinch the Constructors’ crown.
Charles Leclerc was third-best at a circuit where he has historically thrived across a single lap.
Leclerc has taken five successive pole positions in Baku – four for a grand prix, and one for a Sprint – and was the quickest non-McLaren driver, half a second behind Norris.
George Russell was fourth for Mercedes, just a thousandth of a second behind Leclerc, while Alex Albon lost the left mirror from his Williams but still wound up fifth overall.
Red Bull finished with Yuki Tsunoda sixth and Max Verstappen seventh, the reigning champion having taken to the Turn 15 run-off on a lap that was trending to move him up the order.
Carlos Sainz placed eighth for Williams while Racing Bulls pair Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar rounded out the top 10, in front of Mercedes youngster Kimi Antonelli and Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg.
Lewis Hamilton finished 13th for Ferrari as he recovered from a brush with the wall at Turn 5, which caused a suspected puncture and minor damage to his front wing.
The session was interrupted for a prolonged period after a kerb came loose on the exit of Turn 17, prompting a repair, with Franco Colapinto – who finished ahead of only Alpine stablemate Pierre Gasly – noted for a red flag infringement during the session.
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