Russell fastest from Antonelli in Baku practice

Mercedes driver George Russell topped both practice sessions in Baku, posting the fastest time in the first session and extending his lead by 0.552 seconds over teammate Kimi Antonelli in the second. Russell’s pace placed him 1.484 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, who was sixth fastest, underscoring the gap between the leading Mercedes and the British driver’s team. Norris, who described McLaren’s performance as “pretty pants,” lamented the shortfall despite the team’s recent aerodynamic upgrade package, while Antonelli’s run was hampered by a hydraulic failure and a subsequent engine change that forced him to miss half of the second session.

The practice outcomes highlight the mixed fortunes of the weekend’s upgrades and reliability issues. McLaren introduced a significant development focused on side‑pod inlets, engine cover, floor and diffuser, with chief technical officer Rob Marshall noting that early data matched simulations but the car’s full potential remained untapped. In contrast, Mercedes and Red Bull displayed consistent speed, with Verstappen trailing Russell by 0.4 seconds in the first session and 0.827 seconds in the second. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were over a second slower, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Williams, who also brought major upgrades aimed at weight reduction, occupied the midfield. Antonelli’s setbacks, including lost laps in FP1 and limited running in FP2, left him at a disadvantage on the tight street circuit, though he expressed optimism about his recovery and the car’s feel.

Reactions from rival teams suggest the performance gap may be narrower than raw times indicate. Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache acknowledged Mercedes’ speed but hinted McLaren could be “a little bit quicker or similar” to his own outfit. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur praised McLaren’s quickness yet noted they never completed a lap, while Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord cautioned that the observed gaps might not fully represent true competitiveness. As the weekend proceeds with an unusually early schedule due to Azerbaijan’s national remembrance day, the focus will shift to qualifying, where Antonelli hopes to close the deficit and McLaren aims to translate its upgrades into race‑day performance.

⚡ Effects Interpreter