P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Drama for championship leader Oscar Piastri and a long red flag featured in a dramatic first Azerbaijan Grand Prix practice session
The first free practice session of the Baku Formula 1 weekend was intense, with drama for the championship leader Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris emerging as the fastest driver.
The session was disrupted by a red flag caused by Carlos Sainz’s Williams hitting a kerb and losing a piece of rubber bonding.
Despite the disruptions, Norris showcased his speed before and after the red flag, setting the fastest lap time of 1m42.704s in his McLaren.
On the other hand, Hamilton faced troubles with smoking brakes and clipping the wall, finishing only in 13th place.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc looked strong as usual, securing the third-fastest time, while George Russell from Mercedes impressed with the fourth-fastest time.
Williams’ Alex Albon managed to secure the fifth-fastest time despite hitting the wall on one of his laps.
Overall, it was an eventful and competitive session with Norris leading the way, setting the stage for an exciting race weekend in Baku.
