Lando Norris topped the opening apply session on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after an extended delay for curb repairs price drivers nearly half the session.
The session had been operating for under 14 minutes when it was suspended beneath purple flags to clear particles on the circuit. Initially a rogue automotive half was suspected, however marshal inspection revealed it to be a rubber strip that had popped out from beneath the curb on the exit of Flip 16.
With nice effort the marshal managed to dislodge the rubber after only some minutes, however the incident raised considerations in regards to the safety of the curbs, resulting in a considerably longer delay as they have been checked for issues.
It took a complete of 25 minutes to get vehicles again onto the circuit, by that time with solely 21 minutes remaining on the clock.
Norris had already moved to prime spot on the time sheet earlier than the purple flag, and the McLaren driver picked up the place he left off afterwards, extending his benefit with a quickest lap of 1m42.704s. It was an emphatic benchmark that put him 0.31s away from teammate Oscar Piastri.
The prolonged delay was excellent news for the Australian, who was compelled again to pit lane after solely two laps with an influence unit downside.
“Recharge on, again off. Keep away from full load. Hold low revs,” he was informed over crew radio, and with the driving force out of the automotive and the engine cowl off instantly, the issue regarded dire. However the crew was in a position to resolve the issue through the suspension, and Piastri was able to take to the observe with the remainder of the sector, guaranteeing he misplaced solely a handful of laps in whole.
His quickest time got here later within the session as he caught up on misplaced operating, however the lap was scrappy and included a hefty whack of the boundaries at Flip 15. Unsurprisingly 0.2s of his deficit was all within the center sector, of which Flip 15 varieties half.
Charles Leclerc, the four-time Baku pole-getter was third however 0.552s off the tempo. Many of the Ferrari’s deficit was within the first and second sectors, although Leclerc gained a fractional quantity within the third break up, which is the flat-out part between Flip 16 and the start-finish line.
George Russell was fourth in a Mercedes the Briton reported was bottoming considerably in its early runs. Russell, who additionally reported smelling burning in his cockpit early within the hour, had skipped his Thursday media duties with sickness, and the sound of his voice advised he was nonetheless feeling its after-effects.
Alex Albon was fifth quickest regardless of bumping the boundaries at Flip 15 on his closing efficiency lap on softs, placing the Williams driver 0.859s off the tempo.
Yuki Tsunoda was the quickest Purple Bull Racing driver, ending the session sixth and 1.034s off the tempo. His teammate, Max Verstappen, adopted in seventh and 0.069s additional again, however the Dutchman misplaced his closing efficiency run to a mistake that despatched him diving into the run-off space at Flip 15. “It’s coming off the bottom beneath braking,” the annoyed Verstappen radioed earlier than rejoining the session.
Carlos Sainz was eighth within the second Williams forward of Racing Bulls teammates Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar, who have been carefully matched round 1.2s off the tempo.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli made it by the hour cleanly to complete eleventh forward of Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg.
Lewis Hamilton was a lowly thirteenth and 1.383s off the tempo after a messy closing efficiency run that noticed him smack the boundaries at Flip 5. The incident price the Briton his entrance wing and a puncture, forcing him again to pit lane with out having accomplished the lap.
Gabriel Bortoleto completed 14th forward of Fernando Alonso – whose Aston Martin gave the impression to be bottoming considerably down the entrance straight – Oliver Bearman, Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon.
Alpine teammates Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly have been anchored to the underside of the order, 2.5s and a couple of.7s off the tempo respectively.
