F1 | Azerbaijan GP | FP1 | Norris leads interrupted practice session in Baku - Motorsport

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The opening day of running in Baku began with FP1 at the F1 Azerbaijan GP, giving drivers valuable mileage on what was, as expected, a very green circuit. With the barriers close around the tight street layout, few had been willing to take unnecessary risks that could lead to costly errors.

Championship permutations also added intrigue to the day’s action, ensuring there had been plenty for teams and fans to monitor as Formula 1 got underway in Azerbaijan.

Green light for FP1 at the F1 Azerbaijan GP

FP1 in Baku began with Franco Colapinto leading the way for Alpine, while Nico Hülkenberg followed him out in the Kick Sauber. Both drivers immediately tackled a green and slippery circuit.

Pirelli brought its softest compounds for the weekend, mirroring the choices in Imola, Monaco and Canada. Teams put the rarely used C6 back into play for the first time since June, alongside the C5 (medium) and C4 (hard). Engineers faced the task of re-evaluating the C6 with cars that had received major updates since Montreal.

Most teams chose to run the C6 early, rather than save their more durable medium and hard tyres, as the compound looked unlikely to feature in the race itself.

McLaren called Lando Norris back to the pit lane when mechanics spotted a fluorescent protective cover still attached to the nose of his car. The crew quickly removed it, and Norris returned to the track without issue.

Yellow flags flew shortly after when Gabriel Bortoleto ran off into a run-off area. The Brazilian recovered by reversing back onto the track and continued without damage.

We have our first driver into one of the many run-off areas in Baku 👀

Gabriel Bortoleto taking no chances after locking up#F1 #AzerbaijanGP pic.twitter.com/2VeaIe8jqL
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 19, 2025

Red flag!

All 20 drivers completed laps in Baku, although Franco Colapinto and Oscar Piastri had yet to register times. Lando Norris led the early running with a 1m44.274s.

Incidents soon began to unfold. Alexander Albon lost a mirror, George Russell reported the smell of burning inside his Mercedes, and Piastri parked up after his out-lap as McLaren mechanics worked frantically to diagnose the issue. His participation for the rest of the session remained in doubt.

Race control then threw the red flags. On a street circuit where stoppages are always a risk, the interruption arrived early — debris from Carlos Sainz’s Williams lay scattered at Turn 16, forcing marshals to halt the session.

🔴 RED FLAG 🔴

We have a bit of debris on the track at Turn 16 #F1 #AzerbaijanGP pic.twitter.com/cNfCB2tcbu
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 19, 2025

A longer delay

Oscar Piastri climbed out of his car as McLaren confirmed they were investigating a potential power unit issue.

The session remained under red flag conditions, with the delay stretching longer than expected. Initial reports suggested debris caused the stoppage, but further checks revealed the material at Turn 16 was rubber-based and had bonded to the kerb.

Racing Bulls Team Principal Alan Permane later clarified the situation.
“There is a problem with the kerb at Turn 16 or 17,” he explained. “It wasn’t debris, it was actually part of the kerb that came up.”

Permane added that the disruption would likely force his team to abandon their planned long run in FP1, adjusting their programme to the revised schedule.

McLaren issued an encouraging update, confirming: “We’d identified a PU issue, which we believe we’ve rectified. Now planning to get Oscar back out when we get going again.”

The news came as a relief for Piastri, who had looked set to miss the entire session earlier in the afternoon.

FP1 in Baku back in session

When FP1 at the F1 Azerbaijan GP resumed, the green flag immediately triggered a rush at the pit lane exit as teams scrambled to maximise track time. Piastri joined the queue, with McLaren’s swift work ensuring the Australian returned to the circuit.

Lando Norris bolted on a fresh set of C6 tyres and immediately delivered a statement lap. The McLaren driver went purple in the first two sectors before stopping the clock at 1m42.704s — over a second clear of Max Verstappen.

Moments later, Lewis Hamilton clipped the wall. The contact wasn’t heavy, but it gave him a puncture and damaged his front wing. He limped back to the pits, frustrated that such a small mistake had cost him valuable running.

📻 “I’ve clipped the wall”

The rear view cam on Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari 👀

He's headed back to the pits for repairs 🔧#F1 #AzerbaijanGP pic.twitter.com/HauXtoHHeC
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 19, 2025

Final moments

At the front, Norris remained on top after two soft-tyre runs. Charles Leclerc slotted into second, half a second down, with George Russell in third. Oscar Piastri then joined the fight, popping up into P2 just 0.310s behind his team-mate to underline McLaren’s early strength.

Verstappen, by contrast, struggled to put a lap together. His first push attempt on a second set of softs unravelled when he ran wide and cut through the run-off. A swift handbrake turn got him going again, but he languished in seventh as others found more pace.

Verstappen locks up at Turn 15 and bails into the run-off area 👀

He spins round and rejoins the track in no time #F1 #AzerbaijanGP pic.twitter.com/bOyFniapDw
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 19, 2025

The chequered flag flew to end what had been a heavily disrupted FP1, shaped by a lengthy red-flag stoppage. A handful of drivers still pushed on hot laps, while others circulated more slowly, creating yet more traffic headaches with the big differences in closing speeds.

The chequered flag brought an end to a stop–start FP1, with Lando Norris finishing on top. The McLaren driver’s 1m42.704s lap was around 1.4s slower than last year’s pole time but still enough to put him clear of the field. Team-mate Oscar Piastri slotted into second, just 0.310s adrift, while Charles Leclerc rounded out the top three at 0.552s off the pace.