BAKU, Sept 15, V7N - Charles Leclerc had an eventful Friday at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, crashing in the first practice session before bouncing back to set the fastest time in the second session with a lap of 1:43.484. Despite the crash and some steering issues in FP2, Leclerc’s pace was promising as Ferrari seeks to maintain momentum after his win in Italy. Red Bull's Sergio Perez, a two-time winner in Baku, was just 0.006 seconds slower, maintaining his strong form at this circuit.

Max Verstappen, the championship leader, topped the first session but faced challenges in FP2, dropping to sixth due to understeer and visor problems. Verstappen remained optimistic, noting that Red Bull seemed more competitive this weekend compared to recent struggles.

Lewis Hamilton put Mercedes in the mix, finishing third fastest in the second session, just 0.066 seconds behind Leclerc. His teammate, George Russell, was delayed by a power unit change but managed ninth fastest.

Lando Norris of McLaren, who showed early promise, struggled in the second session, blocked by Pierre Gasly and expressing concerns over the pace gap to the top teams. He acknowledged McLaren has work to do to catch up with Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes.

There were notable incidents in FP1, including Leclerc's crash and a separate one involving Williams' rookie Franco Colapinto, who replaced Logan Sargeant for the remainder of the season. British teenager Oliver Bearman made his Haas debut, impressing with competitive lap times in both sessions.

END/WSP/RH/

As teams prepare for Saturday’s final practice and qualifying, Red Bull will be looking to fine-tune their cars, while Ferrari hopes to capitalize on Leclerc’s strong start despite the setbacks.