Gp Baku 2023: F1 free practice in Azerbaijan

Red Bull And Ferrari in fight. Hurray, it starts again. TO Baku the track starts talking again. After a 4-week break and the many words that accompanied the eve of the 4th GP of the year especially at Maranello with the Laurent Mekies case, announced by Alpha Tauri as future team principal, the engines are rekindled on the Caspian Sea for the first and the only free practice session of the weekend where the first sprint race of the season with a renewed format (qualifying sessions dedicated in the morning, mini 100 km race in the afternoon) kicks off tomorrow.

Free practice, Verstappen the fastest ahead of Leclerc

In the only 60 minutes available for the teams to test the car configurations before qualifying (at 3 pm Italian time) on a street circuit featuring slow corners and close walls, but also a very long high-speed straight, the World Championship leader Max Verstappen he closed the session in the lead with his evolved and revised Red Bull (new bellies and bottom). But behind it, at just 37 thousandths, is Charles Leclerc’s red. The Monegasque, protagonist of a difficult start to the championship (2 retirements and a 7th place) and a lot of talk about an alleged interest from Mercedes for his future (his contract expires in 2024), despite a couple of blocks and long shots Ferrari growing as it had already seemed in the last gp in Australia despite the zero in the team standings. Also the 4th time of Carlos Sainz, although half a second behind the Dutchman, confirms it. Third Sergio Perez 139 thousandths from the partner with the other blue.

Mercedes are working on the race pace

Mercedes on another front: they worked on the race pace. Hamilton 11th e Russell 17°. As well as Lance Stroll (7th) e Fernando Alonso (8th) with theAston Martin. And so behind the Red Bull-Ferrari battalion here is 8 tenths Lando Norris with a McLaren which reappears above. Optimal Nyck DeVries6th with theAlpha Tauri that he saw Tsunoda instead 14th after having a tire puncture. To close the top ten, there is Albon with Williams e Zhou with Alfa Romeo. Woe to the Alpine of Pierre Gasly which caught fire causing red flag. The Frenchman attempted to return to the pits, but was stopped in his attempt: the possibility that he will be able to participate in qualifying is very remote. Session interrupted for almost a quarter of an hour. The Alpine also stopped Ocon fearing another fire on his car. Problems also for Magnussen’s Haas: hydraulics in haywire. Sargeant instead loses the wing in the straight of his Williams. He really starts over.