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MAX VERSTAPPEN FASTEST AS BAKU BITES IN PRACTICE

Max Verstappen sets pace around streets of Baku - Photo: LAT

By Bruce Williams

Max Verstappen sets pace around streets of Baku - Photo: LAT

Max Verstappen sets pace around streets of Baku – Photo: LAT

Max Verstappen topped the time sheets for both FP1 and FP2 in preparation for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix around the streets of Baku.

The Red Bull driver set the pace in both practice sessions as the drivers struggled to find grip around the narrow street circuit. Even Verstappen ended his session parked in the barriers, after a small mistake at Turn 1, with just one minute left in FP2.

Verstappen’s 1.43.362 could not be beaten, with Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas second fastest. While Aussie Daniel Ricciardo ended the session third fastest.

Sergio Perez was the first to find the wall in Azerbaijan - Photo: LAT

Sergio Perez was the first to find the wall in Azerbaijan – Photo: LAT

Force India’s Sergio Perez was the first major casualty of Baku’s barriers, making heavy contact with the wall at Turn 8 during FP1. The incident lead to a lengthy 14 minute red flag stoppage with only a couple of minutes left in the first practice session.

Perez would recover with the seventh fastest in FP2 in his repaired Force India.

Not to be outdone Renault’s Jolyon Palmer had an almost identical accident to Perez at Turn 8. Causing a nine minute red flag interruption in FP2.

Several other drivers clipped the walls as the discovered limits of the Azerbaijan circuit.

Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Practice 2 Result

Position Driver Car Time Gap Laps
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Renault 1m43.362s 36
2 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1m43.462s 0.100s 32
3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull/Renault 1m43.473s 0.111s 34
4 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1m43.489s 0.127s 35
5 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1m43.615s 0.253s 35
6 Lance Stroll Williams/Mercedes 1m44.113s 0.751s 27
7 Sergio Perez Force India/Mercedes 1m44.306s 0.944s 34
8 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso/Renault 1m44.321s 0.959s 27
9 Esteban Ocon Force India/Mercedes 1m44.484s 1.122s 37
10 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m44.525s 1.163s 23
11 Felipe Massa Williams/Mercedes 1m44.609s 1.247s 33
12 Fernando Alonso McLaren/Honda 1m45.515s 2.153s 15
13 Carlos Sainz Toro Rosso/Renault 1m45.733s 2.371s 34
14 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1m45.831s 2.469s 33
15 Nico Hulkenberg Renault 1m46.003s 2.641s 29
16 Jolyon Palmer Renault 1m46.061s 2.699s 17
17 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren/Honda 1m46.174s 2.812s 28
18 Pascal Wehrlein Sauber/Ferrari 1m47.150s 3.788s 25
19 Marcus Ericsson Sauber/Ferrari 1m47.347s 3.985s 25
20 Romain Grosjean Haas/Ferrari 1m47.722s 4.360s 22

Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Practice 1 Result

Position Driver Car Time Gap Laps
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Renault 1m44.410s 19
2 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull/Renault 1m44.880s 0.470s 22
3 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1m44.967s 0.557s 20
4 Sergio Perez Force India/Mercedes 1m45.398s 0.988s 16
5 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m45.497s 1.087s 16
6 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1m45.737s 1.327s 19
7 Esteban Ocon Force India/Mercedes 1m45.752s 1.342s 24
8 Felipe Massa Williams/Mercedes 1m45.968s 1.558s 25
9 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1m46.000s 1.590s 18
10 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso/Renault 1m46.617s 2.207s 11
11 Lance Stroll Williams/Mercedes 1m46.649s 2.239s 28
12 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1m46.721s 2.311s 23
13 Romain Grosjean Haas/Ferrari 1m46.837s 2.427s 22
14 Nico Hulkenberg Renault 1m47.217s 2.807s 21
15 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren/Honda 1m47.446s 3.036s 22
16 Carlos Sainz Toro Rosso/Renault 1m47.501s 3.091s 13
17 Fernando Alonso McLaren/Honda 1m47.551s 3.141s 20
18 Jolyon Palmer Renault 1m48.525s 4.115s 15
19 Pascal Wehrlein Sauber/Ferrari 1m49.048s 4.638s 19
20 Marcus Ericsson Sauber/Ferrari 1m49.937s 5.527s 21

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