The Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) was the fastest this Friday, just ahead of the Mexican Sergio Pérez (Red Bull), in the second free practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the eighth in the Formula One World Championship, which takes place in the Baku street circuit; where the Spaniards Fernando Alonso (Alpine) and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) set the fourth and fifth times, respectively, of the session, in which the best times of the day were set.
In the best of his 23 laps, Leclerc covered the 6,003 meters of the urban track in the Azerbaijani capital in one minute, 43 seconds and 224 thousandths, 248 less than ‘Checo’ – who just won in Monaco, winner a year ago in Baku and who turned twice less than him- and with 356 over the Mexican’s partner, the Dutch Max Verstappen -World Championship leader, with nine points more than the Monegasque-, who repeated the third longest circuit on the calendar 17 times. They all set their best times on the soft tyre.
Alonso and Sainz set the fourth and fifth times, respectively, of a session that ended with 23 degrees Celsius in the environment and 31 on the asphalt.
The Asturian double world champion did 21 laps and stayed, with the soft compound, 918 thousandths behind Leclerc; while the talented driver from Madrid -who turned three times more than his compatriot- invested, with the medium, one second and 50 thousandths more than his Monegasque companion.
On the track with the longest straight in the World Championship -two kilometers and 200 meters-, which benefits the single-seaters with the highest top speed, all of them brushed the walls on more than one occasion; and the track exits were lavished, among which those of ‘Checo’ -recently renewed with Red Bull until 2024 and third in the championship, only 15 points from the 125 with which ‘Mad Max’ leads- and those of Leclerc.
The third free practice will take place this Saturday, hours before the qualifying that will order the race on Sunday, scheduled for 51 laps, to complete a 306-kilometre route.
.1. Charles Leclerc MON Ferrari 1:43,224
.two. Sergio Perez MEX Red Bull at 0.248
.3. Max Verstappen NED Red Bull 0,356
.4. Fernando Alonso ESP Alpine 0.918
.5. Carlos Sainz ESP Ferrari 1,050
.6. Peter Gasly FRA Alpha Tauri 1,091
.7. George Russell GBR Mercedes 1,324
.8. Yuki Tsunoda JPN Alpha Tauri 1,343
.9. Esteban Ocon FRA Alpine 1,385
10. Lando Norris GBR McLaren 1,547
11. Sebastian Vettel GER Aston Martin 1,557
12. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes 1,650
13. Lance Stroll CAN Aston Martin 1,650
14.Daniel Ricciardo AUS McLaren 1,835
15. Valtteri Bottas FIN Alfa Romeo 1,891
16. Zhou Guanyu CHN Alfa Romeo 2,040
17. Kevin Magnussen DIN Haas 2,364
18. Alexander Albon THA Williams 3,173
19 Mick Schumacher GER Haas 3,201
20. Nicholas Latifi CAN Williams 3,994
