Baku practice winners and losers: Mercedes leads, McLaren lags
Summary
Mercedes' George Russell topped Baku practice as McLaren struggled 'miles off the pace' with its new upgrade. Gasly impressed for Alpine, while Perez gave Cadillac hope of a first Q2 appearance.
Mercedes emerged as the early benchmark in Baku practice, with George Russell topping the timesheets while McLaren found itself "miles off the pace" with its major new upgrade.
Why it matters:
This is Mercedes' strongest practice showing of the season, combining pace and reliability for once. With McLaren struggling on a track that exposes its weaknesses, the Silver Arrows have an early chance to land a statement result.
The details:
- Russell (P1): Mercedes insists the gap isn't "representative" due to better push-lap management, but Russell is in as strong a position as possible.
- McLaren (P6/P8): The new bodywork upgrade required makeshift engineering and limited FP1 mileage. Norris: "We're just... miles off the pace."
- Gasly (P7): Split the McLarens in FP2. Alpine has started the weekend as the midfield car to beat.
- Audi & Williams (P14-P17): Both brought big upgrades but ended up behind Perez's Cadillac. Sainz: new chassis "feels a bit quicker" but only Q2-level at best.
- Ocon (P10): Strong day despite news he's likely out at Haas. "Much better than last year."
- Perez (P13): The ADUO 2 Ferrari engine is worth ~2 tenths — Cadillac could be Q2-bound for the first time.
- Hamilton (P5): Summoned to stewards for allegedly impeding Lawson, who blamed closing speeds of the battery-thirsty 2026 cars.
What's next:
Qualifying will reveal whether Mercedes' edge is real. McLaren expects to still struggle here, but the upgrade's true value will show at conventional circuits. Watch for Cadillac's first Q2 appearance — if Perez can conjure up his Baku magic.
Original Article :https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/winners-and-losers-from-baku-f1-practice/
