George Russell emerged as the quickest driver in the opening practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, capitalising on a slipstream from Fernando Alonso to post the session's best time. The Mercedes racer managed to edge out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and both Ferraris by roughly four-tenths of a second, signalling a strong start to the weekend for the team. Meanwhile, championship leader Kimi Antonelli’s day was marred by a hydraulic failure that forced him to stop on track, costing him about 35 minutes of valuable running time. This setback could leave him on the back foot as the weekend progresses, especially with a second practice session scheduled for Thursday at 13:00 GMT, broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
Antonelli currently enjoys an 81‑point cushion over Russell in the Drivers' Championship, but the gap is far from secure. The Italian’s recent form, highlighted by victories in the last two races, has been impressive, yet Baku’s street circuit is notorious for its unforgiving nature and frequent surprises.
The 81‑point lead over Russell and a more than 100‑point advantage over Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris could quickly evaporate if reliability issues persist. As Sky Sports F1 analyst Jamie Chadwick observed, "FP1 is the least representative session, so that's a blessing," but she added that the underlying reliability concerns, particularly for Mercedes, remain a critical talking point. The session also saw Hamilton and Charles Leclerc set their quickest laps on the medium‑compound tyres, indicating that both Mercedes and Ferrari will be eager to fight for pole position in Friday’s qualifying and, ultimately, the race victory on Saturday afternoon.
Red Bull, meanwhile, introduced a suite of new components for Baku, including an updated floor, revised side‑pods and fresh mirror designs. Verstappen demonstrated strong pace on the hard tyres early in the session, suggesting that the team’s aerodynamic upgrades are beginning to pay dividends. If the slipstream advantage that helped Russell achieve his best lap is removed, the front‑running order appears to be a tight battle among Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris found themselves in sixth and fourteenth places respectively, more than a second off Russell’s time despite recent upgrades to their cars.
The British squad’s development focus has been primarily aerodynamic, a strategy that tends to yield greater benefits on high‑speed, non‑street circuits. Consequently, they still have ample opportunity to improve their performance over the remaining practice sessions. Piastri at one point suspected he had sustained damage to his car, but the team reported no visible issues.
Norris, on the other hand, has yet to unleash his full speed potential, leaving observers curious about his true capability on this demanding track. In the midfield, Isack Hadjar returned to Red Bull’s Racing Bulls after a wrist injury kept him out for three race weekends.
Unfortunately, he also suffered an engine problem that stripped him of roughly 30 minutes of track time. His teammate, Liam Lawson, made a strong showing, launching from the start line into seventh place, while fellow Red Bull driver Arvid Lindblad qualified eighth.
Further down the order, Esteban Ocon, whose future with Haas looks uncertain as the team is expected to release him after the season, recorded a ninth‑place time. Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto secured tenth.
Williams’ Carlos Sainz experienced a minor brake fire early in the session, but the incident had little impact on his overall running, especially given the team’s significant upgrade package introduced for this weekend. The schedule for the remainder of the race weekend is packed with action. On Thursday, September 24, the day begins with an F2 qualifying session at 10:55, followed by a team bosses' press conference at 12:00, and the second practice session for the Azerbaijan GP at 13:00.
The afternoon will feature The F1 Show at 14:15. Friday, September 25, kicks off with an F2 sprint at 5:10, then the third practice session for the Grand Prix at 9:30, the F2 feature race at 11:10, and a build‑up to the GP qualifying at 12:30, leading into the main qualifying session at 13:00.
A special segment, "Ted's Qualifying Notebook," will air at 15:00. Saturday, September 26, includes the second F2 feature race at 7:55, a Grand Prix build‑up at 10:30, and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix itself at 12:00, followed by post‑race analysis and reactions throughout the afternoon. All events will also be streamed live on Sky Sports Main Event.
Overall, the first practice session has set the tone for a thrilling Baku weekend. Russell’s early speed, Antonelli’s mechanical woes, and the competitive pace shown by Red Bull and Ferrari suggest a tightly contested battle for pole and the race win. With the championship still wide open, especially for those trailing the leaders, the next two practice sessions and qualifying will be crucial in shaping the final grid. Fans can follow the live coverage on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW, offering a contract‑free option and the flexibility to cancel at any time.