FP2 summary Azerbaijan GP – Ferrari flies and raises hopes, McLaren further behind
Ferrari started strongly in Baku, securing the top spots in the second free practice session of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. McLaren, on the other hand, endured a difficult afternoon with Lando Norris stopping against the barriers. Here is the full summary of FP2 after a first session that had already been disrupted by a long red flag.
First half hour
The issue that interrupted the opening free practice session forced all the teams to adjust their programs and maximize the remaining track time. As soon as FP2 went green, drivers immediately headed out to make up for the lost mileage.
While some teams opted to begin work on the soft tire, others focused on the medium compound to simulate longer race runs and evaluate tire degradation. Lando Norris once again made a strong start, moving into first place on the softs, ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. Soon after, Charles Leclerc improved his lap time and jumped ahead of Norris by four tenths, while Lewis Hamilton set a quick lap on the mediums and slotted into second behind the Ferrari driver.
Hamilton then improved again, this time moving to the top of the timesheets while still running on the medium compound.
Second half hour
Norris’ session ended early when he brushed the barriers during a flying lap, damaging the rear suspension of his MCL39 and forcing him back to the garage. His incident left McLaren with just one car in action for the remainder of FP2.
Charles Leclerc returned to the track on a fresh set of soft tires and reclaimed the lead with a 1m41.367 lap. Behind the Ferrari duo, George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli slotted in around four tenths off the pace. Soon after, Lewis Hamilton bolted on the soft compound as well and managed to retake the top spot. The British driver ran with a higher downforce rear wing, which cost him some speed on the long Baku straights but gave him greater stability under braking and through the technical corners.
Ferrari on form, McLaren struggles
Overall, FP2 confirmed Ferrari’s strong performance with both drivers showing competitive pace. The Scuderia split their work between tire runs and aerodynamic setups, underlining a well-structured program for the weekend. McLaren had a more complicated session: Oscar Piastri remained in the shadows, while Norris’ crash prevented further progress. The MCL39 appeared unbalanced with its low-drag setup, but the team will work overnight to find a solution ahead of FP3. It is too early to rule them out of the pole fight, as Saturday in Baku often delivers surprises.
Mercedes followed the Ferrari pair, about half a second off the pace. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen’s Red Bull did not shine, with the RB21 still requiring fine-tuning to unlock its potential on the tricky street circuit. For Ferrari, however, this session lit a spark of optimism, as the team is aiming for its first victory of the season and appears well-prepared to challenge for it this weekend.
Full results from the second free practice session in Baku:
1 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 1m41.293s
2 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.074s
3 George Russell (Mercedes) +0.477s
4 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.486s
5 Ollie Bearman (Haas) +0.598s
6 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.609s
7 Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +0.696s
8 Esteban Ocon (Haas) +0.874s
9 Alex Albon (Williams) +0.884s
10 Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.906s
11 Carlos Sainz (Williams) +0.962s
12 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +1.002s
13 Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) +1.150s
14 Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) +1.151s
15 Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) +1.268s
16 Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1.381s
17 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +1.478s
18 Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) +1.527s
19 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +1.674s
20 Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +2.029s
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