Verstappen Tops Final Practice in Baku, Edging Out Russell and Hamilton
Max Verstappen claimed the fastest lap in the final practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, narrowly beating George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. The Red Bull driver set a blistering 1m 43.922s lap time on the dusty Baku circuit.
Max Verstappen demonstrated his prowess on Baku's challenging street circuit, clinching the fastest time in the last practice session before qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Dutch driver clocked a 1m 43.922s, just a tenth ahead of Mercedes' George Russell, with Lewis Hamilton closely following in third.
As is often the case with Baku, the track conditions were less than ideal at the start of FP3, with dust and leaves scattered across the surface thanks to strong winds. Consequently, teams took their time venturing out, with the lead cars only emerging 20 minutes into the session. Hamilton initially laid down a marker with a 1m 46.168s, which was soon bettered by Charles Leclerc's 1m 45.564s.
Mercedes drivers, including Russell and Kimi Antonelli, started on medium tyres, with Russell later moving to the softs to post a 1m 44.715s. Meanwhile, Verstappen took advantage of a double slipstream to momentarily top the timesheets until Hamilton pushed the benchmark to 1m 45.093s.
The session was not without its hiccups. Verstappen reported his car felt "numb" in Turn 16 due to the wind, and several drivers, including Hamilton and Antonelli, found themselves exploring Baku's run-off areas. Lance Stroll wasn't as lucky; his session ended prematurely after a brush with the wall at Turn 1 damaged his Aston Martin.
In the closing stages, both Mercedes drivers switched to the soft compounds, with Russell initially setting a 1m 44.177s, later improving to a 1m 44.021s. However, Verstappen's late charge saw him eclipse this with his final lap, securing the fastest time despite a few close encounters with the barriers.
The top five was rounded out by Charles Leclerc, who outpaced Pierre Gasly of Alpine. The McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris followed, with Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) and Franco Colapinto (Alpine) completing the top ten.
Just outside the top ten, Carlos Sainz led the rest in eleventh place for Williams, followed by Haas' Ollie Bearman and Gabriel Bortoleto of Audi. The session concluded with Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg, and Sergio Perez trailing behind.
As the teams prepare for qualifying, all eyes will be on whether Verstappen can maintain his edge or if Russell and Hamilton have more in store.