George Russell Leads Baku Practice as McLaren Struggles for Pace
George Russell topped both practice sessions ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while McLaren's Lando Norris expressed concerns over their performance.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend kicked off with George Russell of Mercedes showcasing impressive speed, leading both practice sessions on Thursday. Russell’s performance sets the stage for an exciting race weekend, but McLaren’s Lando Norris expressed disappointment with his team’s pace, stating they are ‘miles off’ the front-runners.
Practice Session Highlights
In the first session, Russell outpaced Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who finished second, while Norris could only manage sixth place, trailing by 1.484 seconds. The second session saw Russell maintain his dominance, finishing ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli by 0.552 seconds. Antonelli faced challenges due to a hydraulic failure that limited his running time, but he remains optimistic about his performance moving forward.
McLaren’s Struggles
Norris, who has enjoyed recent success with podium finishes in three of the last four races, acknowledged the team’s struggles in Baku. Despite introducing significant upgrades aimed at improving their car’s aerodynamics, he noted, “It’s a little knife in the heart when you see how far off you are.” Chief technical officer Rob Marshall confirmed that while the upgrades are performing as expected, the team has yet to unlock their full potential.
Competitors’ Perspectives
While McLaren’s performance has raised concerns, rival teams have offered differing views. Red Bull’s technical director Pierre Wache remarked that McLaren’s pace appears comparable to their own, while Ferrari’s team principal Frederic Vasseur noted that McLaren’s speed was evident, albeit not fully realised during their laps.
Other Notable Performances
- Verstappen finished the first session 0.4 seconds behind Russell and 0.827 seconds in the second.
- Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were also more than a second off the pace, with Hamilton commenting on their lack of speed.
- Alpine’s Pierre Gasly secured seventh place, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri followed closely behind.
As the teams prepare for qualifying, the focus will be on how they can improve their setups and performance on the challenging Baku street circuit. With the unique schedule of this race weekend, which runs from Thursday to Saturday due to Azerbaijan’s national remembrance day, teams will need to adapt quickly to find their rhythm.
Source: This original report was produced by WTGO Newsroom using verified reporting from BBC Formula 1.