George Russell claimed the top spot in a mad first practice session at Baku, posting a 1:45.387s to edge out the field by four-tenths. The Mercedes driver managed to navigate a session absolutely packed with mechanical drama to secure the best time heading into the weekend. Russell's lap came with a healthy tow down the long straight, but it was enough to keep him clear of the chasing pack when the checkered flag dropped.

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The session was pure carnage from start to finish. Oscar Piastri hit brake vibrations immediately on his first flying run, while Isack Hadjar made his comeback from injury only to battle crazy pulling on the brakes and eventually limp back with a broken engine. Max Verstappen reported weird pulling to the right early on but recovered to grab second place ahead of the Ferrari pair. Carlos Sainz had to stop the Williams on the pit lane with flames shooting from the rear brakes, and Kimi Antonelli's session ended in the run-off at Turn 7 when he lost hydraulic pressure and smoke poured from his sidepod vents.

McLaren arrived with eight major upgrades including a new floor, sidepod revisions, and a reintroduced H-wing, but both their drivers spent chunks of FP1 in the garage. Piastri came in twice for radiator inlet checks and engine analysis after overheating concerns, while Lando Norris got temporary repairs with a cable tie. The team also dealt with overheating debris issues that had the pit wall on high alert throughout the hour.

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When the dust settled and two virtual safety car periods had run their course, Russell's cushion over Verstappen held firm at P2. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton ran down the Red Bull driver incredibly close, with the Ferrari just four milliseconds behind Max. Kimi Antonelli and Piastri followed, alongside Liam Lawson back in the Racing Bulls for the weekend. Even Esteban Ocon's Haas had dramas at the pit exit, though the Frenchman managed to get the car out for grid practice starts.

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The session saw just about every team suffer some kind of mechanical headache, making this a genuinely unpredictable weekend at one of F1's most demanding circuits. With so many unknowns still to resolve before qualifying, expect plenty more drama in the hours ahead.

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