Lando Norris delivered a remarkable performance during the final practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, recovering from a crash the previous day. Norris topped the session with a best lap of 1:41.223, setting the stage for a competitive qualifying round. His McLaren team-mate, Oscar Piastri, who currently leads Norris in the championship standings by 31 points, finished third behind Max Verstappen in second.
After an unfortunate incident in the second practice where Norris collided with the wall, he described the mistake as “costly.” Showing resilience, he returned to the challenging Baku City Circuit and outpaced his rivals by two-tenths of a second. Piastri faced difficulties of his own, nearly crashing at Turn Four but managed to salvage his session by climbing back to third.
Verstappen, who secured pole position and victory at Monza two weeks prior, demonstrated his pace by finishing just ahead of Piastri. Lewis Hamilton followed closely in fourth place, indicating that he remains a strong contender. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc, known for his qualifying prowess in Baku, struggled and finished in 10th place.
The anticipation for qualifying is high, with multiple teams expected to compete for pole position. Karun Chandhok from Sky Sports F1 expressed optimism, stating, “I’m encouraged by the fact that I think we are going to see the Red Bulls and the Ferraris challenging the McLarens in qualifying.”
In an interesting turn, Kimi Antonelli, who faced criticism from Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff earlier this season, continued to impress by finishing fifth, ahead of his teammate George Russell.
Qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is set to take place at 13:00 local time, with viewers able to catch the action live on Sky Sports F1. The session promises to showcase a thrilling battle as teams vie for the top spot on the grid.
As teams prepare for the afternoon qualifying session, the atmosphere is charged with excitement, and the outcome remains uncertain as the competition heats up on the streets of Baku.
