FP1 Highlights _ 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

First practice ahead of the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and papaya power prevailed in the land of fire. Lando Norris was the fastest man on track setting the benchmark at 1 minute 42.704. There's been much talk of McLaren wrapping up the Constructors' title this weekend. Such has been their dominance this season that it seems quite likely they could, which would be a record with seven races and three sprints still left on the calendar. A one-two in Baku and even a one-three Oscar Piastri won this race 12 months ago. He suffered a power unit problem early doors, so he's pushing hard late on in this session, his right rear clouting the wall. He finished P2 some three tenths back from his teammate, that trophy retention looking very likely by this measure. Despite being the second best team on paper, Ferrari remain winless so far in 2025. Charles Leclerc is a master of the Baku city circuit. Four consecutive poles for the man from Monaco, plus he was top dog in the 2023 sprint shootout. However, he's never had the long-run pace or the luck to convert prime position into victory. P3 in this session. Teammate Lewis Hamilton won here in 2018 for Mercedes, but a seven-time champ doesn't believe he'll be tasting the victor's champagne anytime soon. Calling the notion far-fetched, he had an issue later on. That clip of the Turn 5 apex costing him his front wing end plate too. Another of the former kings of Baku is Max Verstappen. The defending champion won here in 2022. He locked up approaching Turn 15 and took the escape road, executing a neat flick turn to get his red ball back facing the right way. My car is coming off the ground on the braking. So much contact. Alex Albon lost some kit early doors, the glass in his left-hand side wing mirror coming unstuck. The Thai driver later tapped the wall exiting Turn 15. Teammate Carlos Sainz inadvertently caused a fairly long red flag period. He's Williams rumbling over the kerbs exiting Turn 16, pulling loose a strip of rubber which needed a bit of attention. On resumption, the Spaniard seemed to upset Isaac Hatcher. Yeah, I don't know what the hell he's doing, he's just so annoying. It's just, it's just on purpose all the time, so yeah. Williams had a victory of sorts between races. The Grove team took up a writer review on Sainz's Zandvoort penalty, which they thought was harsh, and the stewards agreed, downgrading the infringement to a racing incident. Thus, the Spaniard has two points removed from his super license. And talking of points, one driver needs to be on his best behavior. Oliver Behrmann, the Haas rookie, now has 10 points on his license after his Monza clash with Carlos, which he also thought was a little unfair. He won't see any of those points expire before November the 2nd. There's a lot of racing to be done before then. Haas teammate Esteban Ocon locked up at Turn 15 and took to the exit road. Hajar locked up at Turn 3 and went deep. Gabriel Bortoletto got caught in two mines at the same spot and opted to nip down the escape road too. And Kicksalver teammate Nico Hülkenberg was another who flirted with Baku's unforgiving walls at Turn 15. So your top 10 in a session with limited track time was as follows. Norris from Piastri, Leclerc, Russell, Albon, Tsunoda, Verstappen, Sainz, Lawson and Hajar. P11 for Antonelli, then came Hülkenberg, Hamilton, Bortoletto, Alonso, Behrmann, Stroll, Ocon, Colopinto and Gasly.