Ferrari began well with a car that was extremely fast on the straights. McLaren dominated in the twisty sections, but paid the price for Norris’ mistake. Ferrari ended the first day of track action with a commanding 1-2 signed by Hamilton and Leclerc, a result that however does not tell the full story. Without doubt the Scuderia produced one of its best Fridays of the year, but on the other side there were also errors by Norris and Russell, while Verstappen and Piastri appeared further behind. Friday in Baku highlighted a contrast of strategies between Ferrari and McLaren, each chasing lap time in different ways while waiting to see if the choices will converge in view of qualifying.
The missed comparison
The Maranello team confirmed its good feeling with the Azerbaijani track thanks to a car that starts from a solid level of mechanical grip from the suspension, something already underlined on the eve of the weekend by Lewis Hamilton. Friday’s classification showed the two Ferraris ahead of everyone, able to put almost half a second on Mercedes, first of the chasing pack. The result, however, must be seen in the context of a chaotic day marked by mistakes from several key drivers. The comparison between the Ferrari drivers and Russell was missing, with the Briton forced to abort his last flying lap after oversteer, but above all absent was the challenge with Norris. The McLaren driver hit the wall and was out after just half an hour, but by the end of the session he still held the record in the technical middle sector.
In Azerbaijan the same dynamic seen at Monza repeats, with Ferrari building its advantage with strong straight-line speed but being slower in the corners. Unlike the previous race though, in Baku the game is not only about downforce and aerodynamic efficiency. Otherwise it would not explain why Ferrari is less incisive in the twisty sector despite being the only team to fit a rear wing with more load compared to Monza. Red Bull proves it as well, dominant at Monza with Max Verstappen thanks to low-drag efficiency, but for now trailing in Azerbaijan despite a similar configuration.
The Baku battle
While Monza featured plenty of medium to high-speed bends, in Baku the urban track is dominated by corners around 100 km/h. It is a type similar to the streets of Monaco or the second sector in Miami, contexts where McLaren has shone, and is now confirming itself again in Baku’s twistiest section. These are areas where more than aerodynamic load, what counts is the mechanical grip from the suspension, which must work with softer settings to achieve it. McLaren considered this carefully during design, as Andrea Stella explained already in May: “The changes we made to the MCL39 compared to last year’s car have helped our competitiveness in Monaco. In developing the car, we set ourselves the goal of improving slow corners and being less dependent on having to run the car very low and stiff.”
Unfortunately for the world champions, in Baku the MCL39 pays the price on the straights, since a softer car sinks more on its suspension under acceleration, increasing the drag induced by the floor and adding to that of a not very efficient wing setup. Conversely, in Baku Ferrari was already losing out in the second sector in 2024. Now the SF-25 also struggles more to manage ride height, forcing the car to be raised and the suspension stiffened to avoid hitting the tarmac on the straights and damaging the floor. Mechanical grip in the second sector is therefore compromised, a delay that the team tries to offset with a higher downforce rear wing, which it can afford thanks to the SF-25’s low drag on the straights in these conditions.
Everything in progress
McLaren and Ferrari are therefore looking for lap time in opposite ways, partly out of strategy and partly out of necessity. The papaya team looks like the benchmark in the twisty sections, while Ferrari is the fastest on the straights, but it will be interesting to see if the setup choices converge on Saturday. Much will also depend on track evolution, with rubbering-in offering more grip unless rain intervenes. In particular, Ferrari will have to decide which rear wing to commit to, after Leclerc in the afternoon ran a cut-down, lower-downforce version compared to Hamilton.
The battle for pole will also depend on the tyre dilemma. In Baku the C6 returns, the softest compound in the Pirelli range, with slightly higher peak grip than the medium but limited to a narrower window and therefore harder to exploit. The medium on the other hand offers more stability in the second sector, with consistency that gives the driver more confidence and encourages him to push harder. Already on the first day there was a strong closeness of times between the two compounds, which is why the choice of which to use in qualifying could be decisive.
Two-faced McLaren, unhappy Verstappen
Overall, behind Ferrari, McLaren is the team showing the most promising potential, seen however only in flashes with Lando Norris. The afternoon crash could cost the Briton dearly on a track where, as in Monaco, it is vital to maximize time on track to build confidence and push ever closer to the walls. More difficulties instead for Oscar Piastri, who in his statements talked of a car with good potential in Baku, but for now difficult to exploit.
Mercedes had a better day, always competitive on circuits that reward braking and traction with a straight steering wheel, with Antonelli producing a clean, error-free Friday unlike previous outings. Verstappen, winner in Monza, was only sixth, complaining of a Red Bull that is too stiff for Baku’s bumpy surface and therefore hard to control under braking. The Dutchman’s race pace times, however, were closest to those of Charles Leclerc’s very short simulation, and together with Hamilton he is nurturing the idea of Ferrari fighting for its first win of the season, with the awareness that everything is still in progress.
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