McLaren Dominates Baku Practice, Hamilton Crashes

McLaren set an immediate statement in the first free practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with Lando Norris topping the timesheets at 1:42.704, closely followed by Oscar Piastri. While McLaren showed impressive pace, the session was not without incident, as Lewis Hamilton touched the wall and Max Verstappen struggled with his Red Bull.

Why it matters:

This initial practice session in Baku offers a crucial first look at team performances and potential race pace. McLaren's strong showing signals their continued competitiveness, while the struggles of established frontrunners like Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull's Max Verstappen could indicate a shifting competitive dynamic heading into the weekend.

The Details:

• McLaren's Dominance: Lando Norris secured the fastest lap, with teammate Oscar Piastri just 0.310 seconds behind in second place, despite initial power unit concerns that required him to return to the garage.
• Red Flag Interruption: The session was interrupted for 25 minutes due to a loose kerb element at Turn 16, a situation reminiscent of a 2019 incident where a loose manhole cover damaged George Russell's car.
• Ferrari and Red Bull Struggle: Charles Leclerc managed third for Ferrari, but was over half a second off Norris's pace. Max Verstappen finished seventh, more than a second behind, openly struggling with the handling of his RB21 and having an off-track excursion.
• Hamilton's Incident: Lewis Hamilton, a specialist in Baku, had a setback when he made contact with the wall at Turn 5/6, resulting in a punctured tire and a damaged front wing endplate. He ultimately dropped to 13th place.

What's next:

The teams will now analyze the data from this practice session to fine-tune their setups for qualifying and the race. The varying performances suggest an intriguing battle ahead, with McLaren looking strong and other top teams needing to find significant improvements. Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday, followed by the Grand Prix on Sunday.