P1racenews AI automatic summary:
George Russell led Charles Leclerc by 0.013s in the final Azerbaijan GP practice of the 2024 weekend, with Red Bull absent from the top four.
Mercedes driver George Russell set the pace in FP3 ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying battle, narrowly beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.013s. The session was eventful with two red flags caused by Esteban Ocon’s Alpine stopping on track and Haas debutant Oliver Bearman crashing at Turn 1. Russell’s fastest time came with two minutes remaining in a stop-start session. Ocon’s session ended early due to power delivery issues, while Bearman’s incident was more dramatic, with the rookie crashing into the barriers. In the end, Russell claimed the top spot with Leclerc in second, followed by McLaren’s Lando Norris in third. Williams impressed as the standout midfield team, with Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto showcasing strong performances.