Russell fastest in Baku FP1 as Antonelli's Mercedes breaks down
George Russell topped opening practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as championship leader Kimi Antonelli lost track time to a hydraulic leak.
What to know
- George Russell was fastest in Azerbaijan Grand Prix first practice, 0.4 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen.
- Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who leads Russell by 81 points, stopped on track with a hydraulic leak and smoke, missing about half the session.
- Other drivers also hit trouble: Nico Hulkenberg stopped with a technical issue and Arvid Lindblad spun into the barriers before recovering.
George Russell Mercedes driver
Kimi Antonelli Mercedes driver, championship leader
Max Verstappen Red Bull driverCharles Leclerc Ferrari driverEsteban Ocon Haas driver
How it unfolded 0 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump
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Further on-track incidents hit several drivers — Arvid Lindblad spun and stopped facing the barriers at Turn Seven before recovering, Nico Hulkenberg stopped late in the session with a technical problem, and both Russell and Verstappen ran into the run-off area after missing braking points.
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Russell ends FP1 fastest ahead of Verstappen — George Russell finished quickest overall, 0.4 seconds clear of Red Bull's Max Verstappen, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton third and fourth; Antonelli ended up 0.878secs off the pace in fifth.
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Antonelli stops on track with hydraulic leak — Antonelli stopped at Turn One on his first lap on soft tyres with smoke seeping from his engine cover's cooling vents, missing roughly half the session.
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Antonelli tops early running on hard tyres — Before his stoppage, Kimi Antonelli was the fastest driver in the early part of first practice using the hard-compound tyres.