Verstappen Dominates First Practice in Baku, While Leclerc and Colapinto Face Setbacks

The first practice session for the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was a thrilling and eventful affair, marked by challenging track conditions and multiple incidents. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen emerged as the pacesetter in a session that saw two red flags due to crashes involving Charles Leclerc and Franco Colapinto.

Tricky Track Conditions

The high-speed Baku street circuit presented drivers with exceptionally low grip levels, exacerbated by a light rain shower earlier in the day. McLaren's Oscar Piastri reported "very, very low grip" conditions as drivers took to the track. Initial lap times were significantly slower than the previous year's FP1 session, with times up to six seconds off the pace.

Verstappen Sets the Pace

Red Bull's Max Verstappen quickly established himself at the top of the timesheets, setting the early benchmark on medium tires. The session was briefly interrupted by a red flag due to debris on the track, but upon resumption, Verstappen continued to improve his times.

Leclerc's Unfortunate Incident

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc briefly took the lead with a fast lap on medium tires, but his session took a dramatic turn when he crashed into the wall at Turn 15. The incident, which Leclerc attributed to picking up dirt off the racing line, caused significant damage to his car and brought out the second red flag of the session.

Soft Tire Runs and Changing Leaders

As the session progressed, drivers switched to soft tires, leading to a flurry of fast laps and constantly changing leaders. Several drivers, including Sergio Perez, Oscar Piastri, and Lando Norris, took turns at the top of the timesheets. Lewis Hamilton briefly held the fastest time before another red flag interrupted proceedings.

Colapinto's Crash and Final Push

Williams rookie Franco Colapinto brought out the third red flag of the session when he lost control at Turn 4, crashing into the wall. With just 11 minutes remaining after the restart, drivers made their final attempts on soft tires. Verstappen seized the opportunity, setting the fastest time of the session with a lap of 1:45.546, narrowly edging out Hamilton.

Notable Performances

Behind Verstappen and Hamilton, Sergio Perez secured third place, followed closely by Lando Norris in fourth. Carlos Sainz, Oscar Piastri, and Fernando Alonso rounded out the top seven. Oliver Bearman, substituting for the banned Kevin Magnussen at Haas, impressed with an 11th place finish in his second-ever grand prix weekend.

As the teams analyze the data from this incident-packed session, all eyes will be on how they adapt to the challenging Baku circuit in the upcoming practice sessions and qualifying.