Sainz Forced to Stop as Brakes Catch Fire in Baku Practice

Carlos Sainz's opening day at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix took an alarming turn when his Williams caught fire during practice. The Spanish driver was forced to pull over and head back to the pits after his brakes ignited, bringing an early end to his session.

Why it matters:

Baku is one of the toughest tracks on the calendar for brakes, featuring heavy braking zones and long straights. Any reliability issue here is magnified, especially for Williams, who are fighting to solidify their midfield position. A brake fire is not just a lost session; it could indicate a deeper problem that might affect the rest of the weekend.

The details:

• The incident occurred during practice, with Sainz reporting a fire in the rear brake area over the radio.
• He safely stopped and returned to the pits, where the Williams crew extinguished the flames.
• No driver was injured, but the session was interrupted as marshals and team personnel attended to the car.
• Sainz had been running a limited program before the issue, and the team will now need to assess the damage to the brake assembly.

The big picture:

Williams have shown improved pace this season, but reliability has occasionally let them down. This is the second brake-related issue for the team in recent races, according to early reports. With the sprint weekend format in Baku, practice time is limited, and missing crucial running could hurt Sainz's preparation for qualifying.

What's next:

Williams will investigate the cause of the fire before the next session. The team may need to change brake components or adjust cooling ducts to prevent a recurrence. Given the tight midfield battle, even a small setback can have a big impact on Sunday's race.