Charles Leclerc tops FP2 but Ferrari SF-24 cars still struggling with balance at Baku City Circuit | 2024 Azerbaijan GP. Charles Leclerc tops second practice session in Baku F1.

Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets in the second practice session ahead for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit, setting the fastest lap with around 15 minutes left on the clock.

Despite finishing the session in first, Charles Leclerc’s run wasn’t without challenges. Early on, the Monegasque driver had to pit, reporting issues with “bent” steering, a result of his earlier crash in FP1. Fresh off his recent victory, the Monagsque driver worked through the setback to deliver the quickest time.

With 25 minutes to go until the end of the second free practice session for the 2024 F1 Azerbaijan GP, Charles Leclerc was back on track but went straight on before the castle section – it seems he was still struggling with the balance of that reworked Ferrari. Team-mate Carlos Sainz was also been exploring the city circuit’s run-off areas in what appeared to be a difficult Friday afternoon for the Maranello team at the Baku City Circuit.

Carlos Sainz secured fourth place for the Maranello team, just ahead of Oscar Piastri, while reigning world champion Max Verstappen struggled to sixth, trailing his teammate by over half a second. Carlos Sainz’s session wasn’t without drama, as he was involved in a late incident with the Red Bull RB20 of Sergio Perez, who complained of being blocked during the high-speed approach to Turn 16. Lance Stroll delivered a strong performance, finishing seventh at the venue where he achieved his first F1 podium.

Haas showed early promise, with Nico Hulkenberg taking eighth and Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman rounding out the top 10. George Russell, after Mercedes performed a power unit change, only completed his qualifying simulation late in the session, lifting him to ninth. However, he was soon called back to the garage due to a reported issue with the car. Lando Norris couldn’t set a competitive time as his lap was compromised by Pierre Gasly, who cited a battery problem for holding up the McLaren driver in the final sector. Franco Colapinto narrowly avoided disaster after grazing the wall at Turn 8, escaping a potentially session-ending crash.