Lando Norris led a turbulent yet thrilling Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025 FP1 session, setting the fastest lap time and spearheading a dominating McLaren one-two finish. The Baku City Circuit, notorious for its unforgiving walls and tight corners, once again lived up to its fearsome reputation, throwing challenges at drivers and teams alike from the first minutes of running.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025 FP1 Recap
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025 FP1 was heavily disrupted by a red flag caused by a loose kerb at Turn 16 that forced a lengthy stoppage spanning around 25 minutes. This stoppage was a double-edged sword; while it cut into valuable track time, it allowed McLaren to swiftly fix an early power unit issue for championship leader Oscar Piastri. Once back on track, Piastri showcased resilience, chasing down his teammate Norris and putting McLaren firmly in control of the weekend’s pace.
Norris lit up the timing screens with a blistering 1:42.704 on the soft tyre compound, asserting a full three-tenths gap over Piastri, who settled for second with a 1:43.014. While the session’s chaos could have rattled lesser squads, McLaren’s preparedness was clear, confirming why they remain top contenders for the constructors’ crown this season.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc kept up the pressure, securing third place in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025 FP1 but trailed by over half a second. The four-time Baku polesitter’s consistency in qualifying here remains impressive, though matching McLaren’s raw pace in this session looked unlikely. George Russell, battling illness, valiantly placed fourth for Mercedes despite struggling with car balance issues.
Other notable performances in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025 FP1 included Alex Albon stepping up for Williams in fifth, even after losing a wing mirror during his laps, and Yuki Tsunoda edging out Red Bull’s reigning world champion Max Verstappen by a narrow margin, placing sixth and seventh respectively.
Lewis Hamilton’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025 FP1 ended on a sour note after clipping the wall at Turn 5, damaging his front wing and suffering a puncture, forcing him back to the pits and limiting his running. With 15 cars managing to set flying laps in the disrupted 40-minute session, the Baku streets already paint a picture of what could be an unpredictable and edge-of-the-seat race weekend.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025 FP1 Full Results
| POS. | NO. | DRIVER | TEAM | TIME / GAP | LAPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:42.704 | 19 |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.310s | 14 |
| 3 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.552s | 17 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.553s | 16 |
| 5 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +0.859s | 17 |
| 6 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | +1.034s | 16 |
| 7 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | +1.086s | 15 |
| 8 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +1.155s | 17 |
| 9 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +1.199s | 17 |
| 10 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +1.271s | 17 |
| 11 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +1.281s | 17 |
| 12 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | +1.282s | 18 |
| 13 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +1.383s | 14 |
| 14 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | +1.383s | 18 |
| 15 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +1.435s | 15 |
| 16 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.447s | 17 |
| 17 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +1.625s | 15 |
| 18 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.735s | 15 |
| 19 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +2.595s | 14 |
| 20 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +2.714s | 17 |
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