F1 Azerbaijan GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP1 & FP2
Live updates from Friday's free practice sessions in Baku
Live Standings
Summary
Live Text
"I don't know why but I can't find reverse," Tsunoda tells his AlphaTauri team over the radio. He's having real trouble getting back around, while the marshals are watching on behind the barriers taking pictures.
Tsunoda has found himself stuck in the run-off area at Turn 4. That brings out the yellow flags with the AlphaTauri driver unable to get his car turned around.
Hamilton, on the softs, goes quicker at the top with a 1m43.893s and moments later Verstappen shifts himself up to second place almost a full second back - but he is on the mediums.
So far there have been no timed lap from Perez who is slightly behind having completed just two laps in this session. Red Bull team-mate and F1 world championship leader Verstappen is P6, for reference.
Hamilton goes quickest so far with a 1m45.112s to nip ahead of Norris, Leclerc and Sainz.
“For some reason I don’t remember the lines being so slippery going across the track,” Schumacher says over his Haas team radio, referring to the painted lines on the track rather than his more familiar racing lines.
"It smells like something is really hot," Gasly says over his team radio. Well it is summer in Baku after all, but so far nothing appears to be wrong with his AlphaTauri.
It is a Ferrari 1-2 at the start of this session, with Sainz leading thanks to a 1m46.706s - almost a full second faster than team-mate Leclerc.
No hanging about today, with 17 out of 20 drivers taking to the track early, albeit it mostly for installation laps. Only Verstappen, Hamilton and Bottas yet to appear from the pitlane.
There are no FP1 drivers stepping in for this morning's session so it is the 20 regulars we'll see in action. And there's the green flag to get the session underway.
No chance of rain this morning under a sunny sky in Baku, while track temperatures are already creeping up above 48oC with the air temperature at 26.5oC. Toasty.
Earlier this morning F2 practice was held in dusty and slippery conditions and a few drivers were caught out and clattered the unforgiving walls, so it could be a case of steady away for FP1.
Two weeks on from a dramatic Monaco GP and F1 sticks to the streets, but these are very different streets compared to Monte Carlo. From fast and flowing to tight and twisty, it’ll be all action from the get-go at Baku.
By: Haydn Cobb
