Russell tops FP1 ahead of Verstappen as Antonelli experiences issues

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton set the fourth-quickest time in FP1, but both Ferrari drivers recorded their fastest laps on the medium tyres rather than the softs.

It was not the most representative session, as multiple drivers experienced issues with their cars during FP1. Kimi Antonelli had to stop his Mercedes on track due to a hydraulics issue, while Isack Hadjar and Oscar Piastri also saw their track time cut short for different reasons.

Because of Azeri Remembrance Day on Sunday, the entire weekend in Baku was moved forward by a day.

Drivers were eager to get out on track today, with most cars taking to the circuit within minutes of the session starting and opting for the hard or medium tyres. Multiple drivers reported issues with their brakes, while Carlos Sainz's right-rear brake also caught fire, forcing the Spaniard to stop in the pit lane.

After the first 15 minutes, Verstappen set the pace in the Azerbaijani capital with a 1:46.5 on the hard tyres, but a couple of minutes later, Antonelli improved to 1:46.2.

At the halfway point of the session, after beginning his out lap on a set of soft tyres, Antonelli was forced to stop his car at Turn 7. He reported over team radio that it was a hydraulics issue. As the Mercedes driver managed to stop on the escape road, the incident only led to a brief Virtual Safety Car period.

Moments later, Mercedes nearly lost its second car as well. Russell took the escape road quite late while approaching Turn 3 and just managed to avoid hitting the wall.

After the first laps were completed on the soft tyres, Russell took the lead with a 1:45.3, ahead of Verstappen, while the two Ferrari drivers continued to set laps on the medium tyres. No one managed to improve on the Briton's time during the final 15 minutes.

With five minutes to go, Arvid Lindblad hit the wall but managed to bring his car back to the pit lane. Moreover, Nico Hulkenberg's Audi also stopped on track, causing a second VSC period, and later on, Esteban Ocon's Haas also briefly stopped when exiting the pit lane.