Azerbaijan GP Practice: Impeding, Fires, and Crashes in Eventful Baku Session

Thursday's Azerbaijan GP practice delivered drama from start to finish, with impeding incidents, a fire, and multiple crashes around the unforgiving Baku street circuit.

Why it matters:

Baku's narrow streets leave no margin for error, and practice time is critical for building confidence ahead of qualifying. Disrupted sessions cost teams setup data and increase the risk of penalties that could reshape the grid.

The details:

• Impeding was the theme of the day, with several drivers summoned to the stewards for blocking rivals in the tight middle sector. Street circuits always produce traffic, but Thursday's volume of near-misses raised eyebrows.
• A fire briefly halted proceedings, with smoke billowing from the rear of a car before marshals extinguished it. The team confirmed a brake duct issue, though the damage was contained.
• Crashes added to the red flags, with drivers finding the limits of the unforgiving walls. The castle section claimed its usual victims, while another incident at Turn 3 brought out late yellow flags.

The big picture:

Baku demands a unique low-downforce setup, and every minute of practice matters. Teams that lost track time will be playing catch-up, while those with clean laps could hold a crucial edge heading into qualifying.

What's next:

Teams face a quick turnaround before qualifying. The pecking order remains unclear after the disrupted running, but one thing is certain: Baku is far from finished with surprises.