Azerbaijan GP: Hamilton Leads FP2 as Norris Crashes, Piastri Under Investigation

Lewis Hamilton topped Free Practice 2 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, leading a Ferrari one-two, in a session marked by significant drama. Lando Norris's session ended prematurely with a heavy impact at Turn 4, while his teammate Oscar Piastri, despite a separate incident, is under investigation for a potential yellow flag infringement.

Why it matters:

After a highly disrupted FP1, the intensity of FP2 highlighted the challenges and high stakes of the Baku circuit. Key incidents involving front-running drivers and a yellow flag investigation underscore the fine margins and potential for penalties that could influence the race weekend. Hamilton's pace on both medium and soft tires suggests Ferrari is finding strong form.

The details:

• Hamilton's Performance: Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, set the fastest lap of 1:43.178 on soft tires, also showing strong pace on mediums earlier in the session. His final run edged out teammate Charles Leclerc by just 0.074 seconds, securing a Ferrari one-two.
• Norris's Crash: Lando Norris suffered a significant rear slide into the wall at Turn 4, causing substantial damage to his car's suspension and bringing his session to an early close under yellow flags.
• Piastri's Incident and Investigation: Oscar Piastri made contact with the Tecpro barrier at Turn 15, resulting in a scuffed tire. More critically, he has been placed under FIA investigation for allegedly infringing yellow flag rules following Norris's crash.
• Tyre Strategy: The session saw an interesting mix of tire compounds. Hamilton's early pace on medium tires suggested they were a viable option for a single flying lap, before he switched to softs for his fastest time. Leclerc also demonstrated strong performance on softs.
• Other Incidents: Liam Lawson and Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) both used the run-off at Turn 15. Oliver Bearman locked up and bailed out of the tight Turn 8 multiple times, while Lance Stroll also tagged the wall at Turn 15 with his Aston Martin.

What's next:

The FIA investigation into Oscar Piastri's yellow flag infringement will be crucial, potentially leading to a grid penalty that could severely impact his qualifying and race prospects. Teams will now analyze the data from this action-packed FP2 to finalize their setups and strategies for Saturday's qualifying session, with an eye on the persistent challenges presented by the Baku street circuit.