F1 Baku telemetry data: Ferrari bets on efficiency, McLaren focuses on traction. At the Baku GP, Ferrari prioritizes aerodynamic efficiency while McLaren emphasizes traction in slower corners.

The Baku layout has highlighted different characteristics among the teams. Ferrari, benefiting from strong efficiency, chose to slightly increase rear wing load to gain stability in sector two, while McLaren focuses entirely on traction and drivability through slower sections. In the background remains the ever-present uncertainty of Red Bull.

Keeping both feet firmly on the ground is the motto for Ferrari’s Friday. It was the team’s best day of the season, both in terms of on-track feeling and pure results, with the two SF-25s finishing at the top of FP2 in Baku, holding a significant advantage over their rivals.

Yet everyone within Maranello urges caution, fully aware that the weekend still has much to reveal. McLaren, hindered by incidents that prematurely ended their afternoon session, still has cards to play, not to mention Red Bull, always capable of playing a wildcard role.

In many ways, Baku is a circuit that can always deliver surprises, from unexpected performances to qualifying sessions that follow a predictable script, due to its inherently unpredictable nature. The low-grip street surface and the aerodynamic compromises imposed by the layout create more than a few unknowns.

This is reflected in the teams’ setup choices, which vary widely. Some, like McLaren and Red Bull, stuck with configurations similar to those used in Monza, while others, like Ferrari, opted to add rear wing load for greater stability in the central sector, where managing the tyres is crucial, particularly on a single flying lap.

Different approaches reveal contrasting strategies for tackling Baku. While Monza rewarded high-speed cornering and downforce generated by the floor, Azerbaijan emphasizes traction out of numerous slow corners, where tyre management becomes critical.

Another key factor is top speed on the long straights. Here, the approaches diverge. Aware of the SF-25’s aerodynamic efficiency, Ferrari chose a slightly higher rear wing mainplane setup to favor the technical middle sector, while using two DRS flap options to recover a few km/h on the straights.

Times and telemetry confirm this strategy: Ferrari excels on the straights of sectors one and three and remains close to McLaren in the central, more technical sector. Understanding how the track evolves will be crucial, as progressive asphalt improvements may benefit teams running lower downforce. Wind conditions also play a key role: strong gusts on Saturday could favor those running a lighter setup if they blow against the direction of travel.

Here the difference in approach with McLaren becomes clear. Unable to sacrifice too much top speed due to limited efficiency with very low downforce wings, Woking focuses on traction and corner exit performance of the MCL39, although tight 90° turns limit the strengths displayed on longer sections. This capability allowed Piastri to shine exiting the final corner last year, securing victory.

Interestingly, both McLarens set their best second-sector times early in the session, before incidents brought them to the wall. Beyond what the drivers may have hidden in preparation for qualifying—a standard practice on street circuits—this indicates a performance margin Woking aims to exploit to return to the top on Saturday.

Despite the early end to the session, the MCL39 showed glimpses of competitiveness, so much so that Charles Leclerc, even without experiencing its full potential, described it as “out of this world.” Yet in the fight for the front, another significant contender remains: Red Bull.

The Anglo-Austrian team had flagged Baku as a favorable track for the RB21 after Monza, although the two circuits share few similarities. Both offer long straights to exploit efficiency and low downforce, but Azerbaijan lacks the high-speed corners that highlighted Red Bull’s strengths two weeks ago.

In terms of results, Milton Keynes’ car did not impress in absolute terms, but the team is confident in race pace. Today’s data must be taken cautiously: teams focused mainly on flying laps with soft tyres, which are unlikely to be used in the race and were also excluded from qualifying. This is where Red Bull hopes to find the extra two tenths needed to compete at the front and fight for victory over the race distance.

In qualifying, the medium compound will likely be used: the C5 provides more stability on Baku’s narrow streets compared to the grippier but more delicate C6. On a circuit where tyres tend to cool quickly, balancing a reactive front for the first corners with a rear capable of optimal traction management will be crucial.