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Lewis Hamilton set the pace in a dramatic second practice session for the 2025 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, leading a Ferrari one-two ahead of Charles Leclerc, while McLaren’s day unravelled with both drivers hitting the walls.
After Lando Norris topped FP1 earlier in the day, Ferrari responded in style during the afternoon session. Hamilton clocked a 1:41.293, edging Leclerc by just 0.074s — both laps quicker than last year’s pole time. George Russell was third for Mercedes, but nearly half a second adrift of the leading pair.
Hamilton’s performance was particularly impressive given his FP1 scrape with the barriers, which had left him with a puncture and front wing damage. In FP2, he looked composed and quick on both the medium and soft tyres, topping the timesheets and showing strong long-run pace.
McLaren’s day was a mirror image of the morning session. In FP1, Hamilton had been the one to brush the walls while Norris led the way. In FP2, the roles reversed — Norris clipped the wall heavily, puncturing his rear tyre and damaging the suspension. He managed just seven laps and missed out on crucial soft-tyre and long-run data.
Oscar Piastri’s session wasn’t much cleaner. The championship leader also brushed the barriers during his soft-tyre run, preventing him from setting a representative lap time. With both drivers lacking complete data, McLaren face a challenging Saturday to refine their setup.
Kimi Antonelli delivered one of his strongest Friday showings yet, finishing fourth and just 0.009s behind Russell. The Mercedes rookie completed plenty of laps without major errors, exactly what the team needed from him.
Oliver Bearman impressed for Haas, going fifth fastest on the medium tyres despite two trips into the Turn 8 run-off. Max Verstappen was sixth for Red Bull, but the reigning champion didn’t appear to have the outright pace to challenge Ferrari over one lap.
Liam Lawson (P7) and Esteban Ocon (P8) also featured in the top ten, with Alexander Albon ninth on the hard tyres and Norris clinging to tenth despite his curtailed running.
The Baku City Circuit continued to evolve rapidly, with grip levels improving throughout the session. Interestingly, the medium compound often looked as quick as the softs, raising strategic questions for qualifying and the race. Teams must decide whether to save soft tyres for Saturday or focus on race preparation — especially with a chance of showers tomorrow.
Long-run data collection was a priority in the closing stages, but the number of wall brushes and yellow flags disrupted the rhythm. Any further interruptions in FP3 could leave teams going into qualifying with incomplete information.
With Ferrari showing blistering pace, Mercedes close behind, and McLaren on the back foot, Saturday’s FP3 will be crucial. The evolving track, potential rain, and tyre strategy dilemmas mean qualifying could be wide open. If McLaren can recover from today’s setbacks, they may still be in the fight — but right now, Ferrari hold the upper hand in Baku.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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