The streets of Baku once again set the stage for unpredictable drama as Formula 1 touched down in Azerbaijan. The opening free practice session was far from ordinary, truncated by an early red flag and plagued with a series of on-track incidents. Despite the limited running, McLaren’s Lando Norris made an impressive mark by topping the timesheets, closely followed by his rookie teammate Oscar Piastri. This performance injects fresh optimism into Woking’s camp, signaling that their latest upgrades may have delivered the performance leap for which they’ve been hoping all season.
From the outset, teams were keen to maximize every minute on track, fully aware that the single Friday practice session was their only opportunity to dial in the setups before the new sprint format compressed the entire weekend. Drivers wasted no time heading out onto the hot and breezy Baku circuit. Early laps, however, revealed the ever-present challenge of finding confidence between the city’s close barriers – a fact underlined by a series of lock-ups and missed apexes during the opening exchanges.
Just as a rhythm was beginning to establish and the initial setup work was underway, a dramatic incident involving AlphaTauri’s rookie Nyck de Vries drew the first red flag. De Vries lost control and crashed into the barriers at Turn 3, causing significant damage to his car and curtailing precious practice time for the entire field. This incident proved doubly costly for the teams, who were forced to adapt their run plans with less data available than planned.
As green flags waved again, the garage doors burst open and a flurry of activity resumed. Given the condensed format, every second became more critical than ever. McLaren seized the opportunity as both Norris and Piastri immediately found performance on the soft compound tyres, quickly ascending to the top of the timing charts. Norris, a driver known for his urban circuit prowess, was in fine form, delivering a lap that went unbeaten even as the track conditions improved. Experts observed that McLaren’s pace was not solely due to low fuel runs or aggressive engine modes. Instead, there appeared to be genuine step forward, particularly in the team’s ability to ride the Baku kerbs and manage rear tyre heat—two crucial factors on this unique circuit. Piastri’s performance alongside Norris was particularly noteworthy, showing that the young Australian is adapting rapidly to both the car and the city’s demanding layout.
Elsewhere, the big names were left to play catch-up. Both Red Bulls appeared out of sorts, struggling to unlock the same level of composure seen in previous rounds. Max Verstappen contended with oversteer on corner entry while Sergio Pérez narrowly avoided the barriers more than once. Ferrari too faced a frustrating session, as Charles Leclerc spent significant time in the garage with technical issues and Carlos Sainz struggled to bring his tyres into the optimal window.
For Mercedes, it was a session of more questions than answers. Lewis Hamilton later reflected on the radio about the tricky balance and lack of grip, while George Russell focused primarily on long-run data, perhaps with an eye toward Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Further down the order, Aston Martin remained characteristically solid, logging valuable laps with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll maneuvering through the field. Williams and Haas had less fortune, with tyre warm-up challenges overshadowing their program. Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu quietly completed their laps, content with a low-key session as chaos reigned elsewhere.
With qualifying and the sprint looming on the horizon, teams now face a classic Baku dilemma: gamble with aggressive changes in search of outright speed, or play it safe given the narrow margins for error. What’s certain is that McLaren’s surprise ascendancy has reshuffled the weekend’s narrative, igniting hope of a battle not just among the championship protagonists but also from a reinvigorated midfield.
Azerbaijan’s unique character—part Monaco, part Monza—means the script remains stubbornly unwritten. Fans can expect more twists, more surprises, and, if FP1 is any indication, plenty of drama as teams adapt to this most fearsome of Formula 1 street circuits. Baku rarely delivers a dull race weekend: 2024 looks set to continue the tradition.
