Welcome to Total-Motorsport.com’s 2024 Azerbaijan GP Free Practice 2 live blog as the Formula 1 circus departs Europe and heads to the unpredictable streets of Baku. Known for its notorious high-speed street circuit and its nickname, the “City of Winds,” Baku promises another dramatic race on the F1 calendar.
As teams battle for position in this closely contested championship, Ferrari arrives in Baku on a high, fresh off Charles Leclerc’s recent victory at Monza. The Monegasque driver has claimed pole position here for the past three years, and the circuit’s layout is expected to suit the SF-24.
McLaren will continue their chase of Red Bull, with Lando Norris looking to close the gap to Max Verstappen. However, team dynamics need careful management, with tension brewing between Norris and Oscar Piastri, which McLaren will need to resolve to maximise their potential.
Verstappen though, topped the FP1 session with Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez in third, with Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes.sandwiched between the pair.
2024 Azerbaijan GP FP2 LIVE – Latest Updates
Follow along for all the news and latest updates from Baku as Free Practice 2 at the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix gets underway.
Thanks and goodbye!
Well well well, what have we here? Truth is, it’s almost impossible to tell. Charles Leclerc leads an incredibly tight top three and the top half contains six constructors, while George Russell has had a nightmare Friday.
More from the Singapore GP
Catch up with Total Motorsport's latest Singapore GP coverage, including Max Verstappen's victory at Marina Bay, Ferrari's costly strategy gamble, the full race classification, and the updated 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings.
Oliver Bearman at least seems to have bedded in well, and is there a possibility that Sergio Perez is the man to beat in Baku? We’ll find out tomorrow, when we’ll once again be live for FP3 and qualifying but stay tuned for all our reaction and analysis coming up tonight and over the weekend too!
REPORT: Norris and Verstappen struggle in tight FP2
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris found themselves uncomfortable with their cars during FP2 at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP with the odds for the race still wide open as Charles Leclerc and Ferrari topped the times on Friday, September 13. Read more…
Azerbaijan FP2 GP Results:
Chequered flag
We’re not expecting any changes on the timesheets, it’s been a clean session in terms of stoppages but no one except maybe Sergio Perez seems dialled in.
Russell returns…
…To the pitlane. He’s only managed a handful of laps and sits ninth, a second behind Leclerc. It’s been a wasted session for the Mercedes man.
Anything doing?
There’s not too much happening in the final five minutes, which plenty of drivers finishing the session with higher fuel loads.
George Russell is finally out though, on the softs.
Leclerc goes top!
He had a stonking three-car tow down the main straight, and it amounts to 0.006 seconds less than Perez’s laptime. It’s not all rosy for Ferrari though, as Sainz’s squealing lockup at turn eight shows.
Leaderboard – 15 minutes to go:
Less than half a tenth separates three cars from 12th to 14th.
- Sergio Perez – 1:43.490
- Hamilton +0.060
- Sainz +0.460
- Piastri +0.493
- Verstappen +0.539
- Stroll +0.603
- Leclerc +0.752
- Hulkenberg +0.985
- Bearman +1.057
- Tsunoda +1.155
Bearman here to stay?
Ayao Komatsu has been speaking to Sky Sports F1 and confirmed Nico Hulkenberg’s DRS issue from FP1 hasn’t carried over. It’s about the only thing he confirms though:
“Ollie’s just standing in but Kevin will be back in the car for Singapore. At the moment, our baseline is to get Kevin back for Singapore but this weekend we’ll monitor how Ollie’s doing.
“It’s impressive, it’s really good from both drivers for this car to be this high up at this stage.
“We know how good Nico is so for Ollie to be up there is really good.”
Takeaways so far
It’s all to play for. Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull have all spent time in the lead while Perez has also been getting involved at the top of the timesheets for the first time in months.
Likewise, pretty much every front-running driver has suffered a hairy moment of some sort. The track is incredibly low-grip, and someone will lose out their challenge for pole ina similar incident
What is going on?
Both Ferraris are forced up the escape roads – Leclerc just before the castle section, Sainz at turn 3 which is the same place Verstappen bailed moments before.
Leclerc made his error on at outlap too.
HUGE from Perez
Verstappen is complaining that he “can’t see s**t” – someone needs to explain the concept of double negatives to the Dutchman – but Perez has smashed Sainz’s time by almost half a second!
Leaderboard – 30 minutes to go:
- Carlos Sainz +1:43.950
- Piastri +0.033
- Verstappen +0.079
- Hamilton +0.238
- Perez +0.411
- Bearman +0.597
- Tsunoda +0.695
- Alonso +0.733
- Albon +0.787
- Colapinto +0.799
Purple, Purple, yellow…
For Verstappen, and Sainz stays top. Hamilton goes into fourth, pushing down Bearman who nailed his lap to break into the top five.
Tight squeeze
Eek! That was close, Lando Norris was on a flier and caught Pierre Gasly up through the kinks in sector 3 and we weren’t far away from an airplane crash.
The McLaren would’ve been forced to overtake on the inside at full speed, Gasly apologises over the radio:
“I have a problem with the battery I’m sorry”
Can’t be separated
The Bearman-Colapinto battle has been fascinating so far today, they were close throughout FP1 until the Williams driver hit the wall, and right now they’re once again say 13th and 14th.
Colapinto leads right now by a tenth, earlier in F2 qualifying Gabriele Mini made his debut as Bearman’s replacement at Prema and was six-tenths away from teammate Kimi Antonelli who secured a front-row start.
Perez goes close!
He closes to just 0.038 away from Sainz, as a lot of drivers begin to switch to race simulations.
Leaderboard – 45 minutes to go:
The Spaniard is the man to beat right now:
- Carlos Sainz – 1:44.323
- Perez +0.275
- Hamilton +0.671
- Verstappen +0.729
- Albon +0.801
- Norris +0.833
- Alonso +1.139
- Tsunoda +1.325
- Piastri +1.395
- Hulkenberg +1.479
Sainz hits the front
And only Sergio Perez is within half a second.
Here’s a look at that pants-browning moment for Max.
How has he escaped?!?
That’s magic from Verstappen. He posted a purple first sector but outbraked himself at turn 6 and looked certain to plough into the barrier having turned too much to take the escape road.
However, the Dutchman puts everything onto the brakes and somehow stays out of the wall. About 30 seconds later, Zhou locks up at the same corner and has to bail out.
Colapinto is go!
But with almost a quarter of the session gone, Franco Colapinto is finally ready to head onto the track for Williams…
Trouble for Leclerc and Russell
Leclerc reports steering problems after going off at turn 15, and immediately pulls into the Ferrari pitlane.
Meanwhile George Russell hasn’t even left the garage yet, and won’t be any time soon either as it transpires he requires an engine change.
Verstappen top… But not for long
He’s picked up where he left off, until Perez goes ONE SECOND QUICKER! He’s already well ahead of Verstappen’s chart-topping FP1 time, while Hamilton isn’t happy:
“This damn windshield is in the way of my vision. I need to come in, it’s super distracting.”
Ferrari 1-2
It’s been a much quicker start than in FP1. Drivers are getting stuck in immediately as Leclerc is straight back to the top after his crash earlier, less than a tenth ahead of Carlos Sainz.
GREEN LIGHT
This should be our most representative practice session, mirroring qualifying conditions, and we are GO GO GO!
Verstappen is straight out onto track, as is Leclerc after that shunt earlier.
What happened Franco?
The Argentine had a lucky escape in his first practice session at Monza but that maiden crash was ready and waiting in Baku…
Azerbaijan GP FP1 Results:
Here’s how they finished up this morning:
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:45.546 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | +0.313 |
| 3 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | +0.376 |
| 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.481 |
| 5 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | +0.627 |
| 6 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.736 |
| 7 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +0.906 |
| 8 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.970 |
| 9 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +1.062 |
| 10 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB | +1.141 |
| 11 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.427 |
| 12 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas | +1.589 |
| 13 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +1.638 |
| 14 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber | +2.094 |
| 15 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB | +2.162 |
| 16 | Franco Colapinto | Williams | +2.355 |
| 17 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +2.409 |
| 18 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +3.166 |
| 19 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber | +3.506 |
| 20 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | – |
Baku got fangz
It was a familiar feeling for Leclerc in FP1:
Roll call
It looks like we’re set to have all 20 cars ready for FP2. Williams have told members of the media including Total Motorsport that they’re confident Franco Colapinto’s FW46 will be ready for FP2, and after Esteban Ocon’s engine issue earlier, Alpine said:
“After an MGU-H issue on Car #31 in FP1, the team has replaced the PU on the car ahead of FP2 from its existing pool of components.” As for Ferrari:
Hello and welcome
Max Verstappen flew into first place with his final lap of free practice 1 earlier, ahead of Lewis Hamilton with Sergio Perez in third.
McLaren and Ferrari were further off the pace but it was a messy session all-round with three red flags and three cars needing repairs before FP2 gets underway in 30 minutes.
Pirelli tyre compounds for 2024 Azerbaijan GP
For the 2024 race, Pirelli has selected the softest tyre compounds: C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), and C5 (Soft). The Baku City Circuit is 6.003 kilometres long and features 20 corners, including a combination of tight turns and flat-out sections.
Despite the long straight sections, overtaking in Baku is surprisingly difficult, making track position and race strategy crucial.
Changes to Baku City Circuit
Significant changes have been made to the Baku City Circuit for Round 17 of the season, with the FIA confirming a total of 16 modifications. These range from the shortening of DRS activation zones to the addition of new vehicle openings at the pit exit and resurfacing of key sections between Turns 2 and 3, 7 and 8, and 12 and 13.
Various walls around the circuit have also been realigned, including the run-off at Turn 1 and walls at Turns 3, 4, 12, 13, and 15, which bring the track edge closer to the barriers and could play a significant role in this weekend’s race.
Where to watch F1 2024 Azerbaijan GP?
For F1 fans in the UK, Sky Sports F1 is the go-to place for all the Formula 1 action with coverage of every Azerbaijan GP session live, including all three practice sessions, Qualifying and the race on Sunday at 12:00.
US F1 fans can catch all the action from Baku across ESPN, with the race live on ESPN on Sunday morning at 7:00 ET / 4:00 PT.
