Norris Tops Chaotic Baku FP1 with Red Flags and Drama

The first practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku proved to be a messy affair, highlighted by a lengthy red flag, multiple incidents, and unexpected performances. Lando Norris of McLaren emerged fastest, setting the pace in a session that saw championship leader Max Verstappen struggle, Lewis Hamilton clip a wall, and Carlos Sainz's Williams cause track damage.

Why it matters:

The chaotic FP1 session at Baku immediately set a dramatic tone for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend. The red flag, caused by a broken kerb, significantly impacted track time and data collection for all teams, potentially skewing the competitive order. This unpredictability, coupled with incidents for top drivers, suggests an open and challenging weekend ahead where adaptation will be key.

The details:

• Red Flag Interruption: The session was halted for an extended period (from 14 minutes in until just over 20 minutes remaining) due to a piece of rubber bonding from the Turn 16 kerb being dislodged by Carlos Sainz's Williams. Marshals required significant time to inspect and repair the track.
• Norris Dominance: Lando Norris (McLaren) was the only driver to break into the 1m42s, finishing 0.310s clear of his teammate Oscar Piastri. Norris demonstrated immediate comfort with the circuit, consistently improving his lap times after the red flag.
  • Norris also had a minor incident requiring a pit stop to remove an aerodynamic sensor cover from his car's nose.
• Piastri's Power Unit Scare: Oscar Piastri initially reported a power unit issue, leading his car to be wheeled away in the pits. However, excellent work by McLaren mechanics allowed him to return to the track after the red flag, minimizing lost time.
• Hamilton's Contact: Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) clipped the wall at Turn 5, damaging his front wing. While the car was relatively unscathed, this incident hampered his session, placing him 13th.
• Russell's Illness and Brake Issues: George Russell (Mercedes), suffering from illness, reported smelling burning brakes and significant bottoming on the straight. Despite this, he showed competitive pace, securing fourth place.
• Unexpected Front-runners: Alex Albon (Williams) rounded out the top five despite hitting the wall. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) surprisingly outpaced his teammate Max Verstappen, who finished seventh after experimenting with run-off areas on his final flying lap.

The big picture:

Baku is known for its unpredictable nature, and this FP1 session reinforced that reputation. The extended red flag meant teams had limited time to gather crucial data, especially on long runs and tire degradation, which will be vital for race strategy. The performance discrepancies, from Norris's commanding lead to Verstappen's understated result, suggest that teams are still grappling with optimal setups and that the competitive pecking order remains fluid going into qualifying.

What's next:

Teams will be scrambling to analyze the limited data from FP1 to prepare for FP2 and Saturday's crucial qualifying session. The focus will be on refining car setups, understanding tire behavior, and ensuring reliability. Given the tight margins and the potential for further incidents on this demanding street circuit, the remainder of the weekend promises to be equally dramatic and unpredictable, with the possibility of unexpected contenders challenging for pole position.