Azerbaijan Grand Prix | Max Verstappen dominates first free practice session

(Baku) Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) set the fastest time in the first free practice session of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, 17^e round of the Formula 1 World Championship on Friday at the Baku street circuit.

The overall leader finished ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes and his Mexican teammate Sergio Perez’s Red Bull, 3^e.

The first McLaren, that of Lando Norris, second overall, is 4^e. Oscar Piastri’s is 6^ebehind the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz.

This first test session was marked by three red flags raised, notably after the Argentinian Franco Colapinto, who is competing in his second GP in the elite with Williams, and the Monegasque Charles Leclerc went off the track.

The Ferrari driver, winner of the last GP in Italy, missed more than half of the session, his single-seater having been too damaged for him to return to the track while he occupied provisional first place from these first tests.

At Alpine, Esteban Ocon also had an early end to the session due to what appears to be an engine problem. His teammate Pierre Gasly was only 18th.^e on the timesheet at the end of the session.

A second free practice session is scheduled for Friday afternoon starting at 3 p.m. The third and final session will take place Saturday at 10:30 a.m. before qualifying scheduled for 2 p.m.

On Sunday, Red Bull could for the first time in more than two years lose the lead in the constructors’ championship to McLaren, who are only eight points behind.

In the drivers’ championship, Verstappen still maintains a comfortable lead of 62 points ahead of his runner-up Norris.