F1 Azerbaijan GP LIVE: Practice times and results as Charles Leclerc crashes in Baku
Max Verstappen sets the quickest time in FP1 in an action-packed session where Charles Leclerc crashed
F1 returns after a one-week break this weekend as Baku hosts the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and round 17 of the 2024 season.
Charles Leclerc secured a famous victory for Ferrari at Monza last time out, ahead of the quick McLaren pairing of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. British driver Norris now trails Max Verstappen - who could only finish sixth in Italy - by 62 points in the world championship with eight races to go.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez won the last race in Baku last April, while the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will be eyeing a return to form as well on the popular street circuit by the Caspian Sea.
It has already been an eventful week in F1, with Red Bull design guru Adrian Newey announcing his move to Aston Martin for next year in a massive statement of intent, turning down Ferrari in the process.
Follow live updates from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen goes P1 right at the end!
With the final timed lap, Max Verstappen goes quickest with a 1:45:546, 0.313 secs quicker than Lewis Hamilton!
Sergio Perez is in third, 0.376 secs down on his team-mate, in a good session for Red Bull!
4-10: Norris, Sainz, Piastri, Alonso, Russell, Leclerc, Ricciardo
An action-packed session, including crashes for Charles Leclerc and Franco Colapinto!
Constructors’ Standings ahead of Azerbaijan GP:
Just an eight point gap at the top!
1. Red Bull - 446 points
2. McLaren - 438 points
3. Ferrari - 407 points
4. Mercedes - 292 points
5. Aston Martin - 74 points
6. RB - 34 points
7. Haas - 28 points
8. Alpine - 13 points
9. Williams - 6 points
10. Sauber - 0 points
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Lando in a lego car!
Driver Standings heading into the Azerbaijan GP:
1. Max Verstappen - 303 points
2. Lando Norris - 241 points
3. Charles Leclerc - 217 points
4. Oscar Piastri - 197 points
5. Carlos Sainz - 184 points
6. Lewis Hamilton - 164 points
7. Sergio Perez - 143 points
8. George Russell - 128 points
9. Fernando Alonso - 50 points
10. Lance Stroll - 24 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg - 22 points
12. Yuki Tsunoda - 22 points
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 12 points
14. Pierre Gasly - 8 points
15. Oliver Bearman - 6 points
16. Kevin Magnussen - 6 points
17. Alex Albon - 6 points
18. Esteban Ocon - 5 points
19. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
20. Logan Sargeant - 0 points
21. Franco Colapinto - 0 points
22. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points
Ted Kravitz makes ‘seismic’ Aston Martin F1 prediction after Adrian Newey arrival
Sky F1 expert Ted Kravitz believes Aston Martin will be challenging for the Formula One world championship by 2026 with Adrian Newey now on board.
“It’s seismic. I don’t want to overstate it, or I do! It is seismic. It’s not as simple as saying Adrian Newey is joining the team which used to be Jordan. But wow, what a team, what a facility, what investment, what prospects it has.
“With Adrian Newey on board, they are going to be championship challengers in two years time, a maximum three years time. And that is seismic for Formula 1.”
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: What are the timings this weekend in Baku?
All times BST
Friday 13 September
- Free practice 2: 2pm
Saturday 14 September
- Free practice 3: 9:30am
- Qualifying: 1pm
Sunday 15 September
- Race: 12pm
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri reacts after McLaren prioritise Lando Norris
Asked about the situation ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix and potentially giving up first place for Norris, Piastri said: “It’s still something that we need to speak about a little bit more. For the whole team, we want to avoid that if we can.
“I know that after speaking to Lando and Andrea, nobody wants to see the race dictated by that. That includes Lando himself. With still a big gap [in the championship], ultimately it’s down to the team to decide if that’s what we want to do and if the call comes, that’s what I will be doing.
“But it’s not set in stone that I will give up the race, no matter what the circumstances are. There is still some degree of movement and flexibility because, ultimately, we all agree as a team, if someone has done a clearly better job at the weekend, that still deserves to be rewarded.”
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen goes P2!
He was quicker than Hamilton in the first two sectors but the final straight has let him down - he goes second, 0.036 secs slower than Hamilton!
3-10: Norris, Sainz, Perez, Piastri, Alonso, Russell, Leclerc, Ricciardo
Just 2 minutes left...
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: FP1 back underway!
The Williams removed... and with 10 minutes left there is a mad rush coming out of the pit lane!
Lewis Hamilton is now top of the timesheet on soft tyres with a 1:45:859, 0.168 secs quicker than Lando Norris in second with Oscar Piastri in third.
4-10: Perez, Leclerc, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Bearman, Hulkenberg, Sainz
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