Azerbaijan GP: Hamilton and Leclerc’s Ferraris shine in FP2 while McLaren struggles in Baku and Bortoleto battles traction

Lando Norris’s crash exiting turn 4 turned the second free practice session of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix into a warning for McLaren, which arrives in Baku with chances of clinching the constructors’ title. The Briton, who led the FP1 with a time of 1:42.704, saw his session end prematurely after damaging the left rear suspension by clipping the wall. This collision came amid a hot lap attempt on soft tires, highlighting the orange team’s difficulties in finding balance on Baku’s narrow layout.

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton took control of the track with surgical precision. The seven-time champion, who had escaped an incident in FP1 by clipping the wall at the entry to turn 5 and causing a tire puncture, returned stronger in FP2. He clocked 1:41.293 on the C6 compounds, Pirelli’s softest softs, edging out teammate Charles Leclerc by just 74 thousandths. This performance not only confirmed Ferrari’s strength on the Azeri streets but also reignited discussions about the SF-25’s potential on high-speed circuits mixed with technical sections.

Baku’s circuit, with its long straights and tight turns in the castle sector, has always tested drivers’ and engineers’ limits. This year, with ambient temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius and asphalt heated to 40 degrees, the ideal conditions for FP2—held at 6 PM local time, similar to race time—revealed nuances in the compounds. Teams like Mercedes and Red Bull also showed signs of adaptation, but Ferrari stood out for consistency between its two drivers, even with distinct aerodynamic configurations: Hamilton opted for more downforce on the rear wing for stability in slow corners.

• Norris completed only seven laps in FP2, missing the race pace simulation.
• Piastri, after a light brush in turn 15, returned for 12 laps but didn’t threaten the top 5.
• Bortoleto, from Sauber, went off track twice, complaining of lack of traction on softs.
• Leclerc, with four consecutive poles in Baku, ran 22 laps and praised the car’s balance.
• Verstappen, from Red Bull, finished sixth, 0.609s off Hamilton, focusing on low-drag setups.

Challenges of soft tires on Baku’s layout

The C6 tires, introduced in the 2025 season as Pirelli’s softest compound in the range, brought surprises to the Azerbaijan GP. Designed to offer immediate grip on street circuits, they debuted with minimal differences compared to the C5 mediums—about 0.2 to 0.3 seconds per lap in prior tests. In Baku, however, the uneven asphalt and aggressive curbs amplified wear, forcing teams to review qualifying and race strategies.

Hamilton and Leclerc were the only ones to extract the maximum from the reds without compromising traction on corner exits. The Briton, in his first full season with Ferrari, used an ideal temperature window between 95 and 105 degrees to glue the car to the ground, gaining 0.4 seconds over rivals in acceleration sectors. Leclerc, who has five consecutive podiums in Azerbaijan, adjusted the differential for better rotation in low-speed turns, staying 74 thousandths behind the leader. This closeness between the Ferrari drivers suggests the Italian team nailed the aerodynamic setup for the 6.003 km layout.

Other teams struggled. At McLaren, the issue worsened due to the aggressive push for pole: Norris, forcing the limit in turn 4—a 90-degree right with an unforgiving outer edge—lost rear control, resulting in damage that will require overnight repairs. Piastri, second in FP1 0.310s off Norris, reported excessive vibrations on softs during his quali simulation, finishing 12th with 1:42.290. These incidents cost valuable data, especially on a track where mistakes cost grid positions.

Pirelli allocated 13 sets per driver for the weekend, with only four C6 available—insufficient for a three-part quali without management. Teams like Williams and Racing Bulls saw initial gains on mediums: Carlos Sainz reached fourth in FP1 with C5 but plummeted when switching to softs, dropping to 11th. Isack Hadjar, the Racing Bulls rookie, followed the pattern, from fifth to outside the top 10. These shifts highlight the need for fine calibration on brakes and suspension to avoid overheating.

Our top three in FP2 👏

🥇 Lewis
🥈 Charles
🥉 George#F1 #AzerbaijanGP pic.twitter.com/qgOBpjrg2C

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 19, 2025

McLaren incidents expose vulnerabilities in the title fight

McLaren enters Azerbaijan as the constructors’ title favorite, with a 31-point lead over Ferrari after 16 races. Oscar Piastri leads the drivers’ championship with 324 points, followed by Lando Norris 31 behind—a margin that could reverse with a double podium here. However, Norris and Piastri’s brushes in FP2 signal risks in Baku, where the castle—turns 8 to 11—has a width of just seven meters and has already victimized leaders like Leclerc in 2019.

Norris, who won in Monza two weeks ago, saw his confidence shaken by the collision. The impact damaged the suspension and left rear track rod, forcing an early stop after 10 laps. He completed only a partial quali simulation, finishing 10th with 1:42.199—0.906s behind Hamilton. The team now analyzes telemetry to determine if the issue stemmed from a too-low wing setup, prioritizing speed on the 2.2 km main straight, or a driving error under pressure.

Piastri, in turn, dealt with a brush in turn 15, a blind left downhill that demands millimeter precision. He returned after a pit check but lost valuable time and finished behind rivals like Liam Lawson, from Racing Bulls, in seventh. Under investigation for not slowing under yellow flags—caused by Norris’s own brush—Piastri risks a penalty that could affect his Sunday start. Despite this, his race simulation showed consistent 1:45 average laps, suggesting potential for a one-stop strategy.

These lapses contrast with FP1, where Norris and Piastri took a 1-2, with the Australian 0.310s off. The initial session, interrupted by a 20-minute red flag due to debris on damaged curbs, limited setup time. Verstappen, third overall with 285 points, finished seventh in FP2, focusing on long runs to compensate for power deficits on straights. Red Bull, 45 points behind in constructors, needs others’ failures to reignite the fight.

Bortoleto faces treacherous turns in competitive Baku debut

Gabriel Bortoleto, the 20-year-old Brazilian from Sauber, is experiencing a fast-learning weekend at the Azerbaijan GP. After a promising FP1, where he briefly led with 1:42.207 on mediums, he struggled with the switch to softs in FP2. Two off-track excursions—one in turn 11 of the castle and another in 18—cost positions, leaving him 15th with 1:42.456, ahead only of teammate Nico Hulkenberg in 18th.

The young São Paulo native complained of persistent understeer, attributed to lack of traction on the red compounds over Baku’s smooth asphalt. With medium tires, Bortoleto ran well in sector 1, the long straight where overtakes are common, but lost 0.8s in the castle due to conservative setups to avoid incidents. His best lap came after differential adjustments, gaining 0.2s over the initial attempt, but still far from the top 10.

Compared to rookies like Oliver Bearman, from Haas, who surprised in fifth in FP2 with 1:41.891, Bortoleto stands out for raw speed—he was the fastest in long stints in FP1, simulating 15 laps at 1:46 averages. Sauber, fighting relegation with 12 points this season, pins hopes on the Brazilian to score in Baku, where safety cars are frequent: 10 in eight editions, creating windows for undercuts.

• Baku layout demands balance between top speed (342 km/h on the main straight) and precision in 48 turns.
• Bortoleto has 18 points in 2025, with best results on fluid circuits like Silverstone.
• Sauber allocated two extra C6 sets for the Brazilian, aiming for an aggressive quali on Saturday.
• History of Baku rookies includes podiums, like Stroll’s in 2017 at age 18.

Aerodynamic configurations define balance on narrow streets

Teams brought evolutions to Baku to maximize straight-line speed without sacrificing grip in slow corners. Ferrari opted for medium-rake rear wings, allowing Hamilton to run more load than Leclerc—a choice that paid dividends in sector 3, where the Briton gained 0.1s per lap. Telemetry data shows the SF-25 generates 850 kg of downforce at low speed, 50 kg more than the McLaren MCL39.

Mercedes, with George Russell third 0.477s off, tested hybrid setups: the Briton used low rake for straights but suffered in corners, finishing with 1:41.770. Kimi Antonelli, in fourth, impressed with consistency, 0.486s off, in his third race with the silver team. The duo simulated a double stop, swapping C5 for C4 on lap 12, maintaining 1:44 deltas.

Red Bull and Williams focused on minimal drag. Max Verstappen, with floor updates to recover 10 hp on straights, ran 18 quali simulation laps but clipped curbs in turn 4, echoing Norris’s error. Carlos Sainz, at Williams, alternated compounds and finished 11th, praising the FW47 for its stability under braking—crucial in Baku, where 5G forces are common.

The 60-minute session saw 1,200 km collectively covered, with 28 laps average per driver. Issues with damaged curbs in FP1, causing chassis vibrations, were resolved by the FIA, but served as a reminder for stiff setups.

Pit stop strategies under race simulation scrutiny

Race pace simulations in FP2 revealed preferences for a one-stop in Baku, with 28-lap averages on C5. Hamilton completed 15 laps in 1:45.2, 0.3s ahead of Leclerc, suggesting Ferrari could aim for an aggressive undercut if a safety car appears—60% probability based on past editions. Piastri, despite the incident, held 1:45.5 in a long stint, but Norris missed validating data.

Williams and Haas tested double stops: Sainz swapped to C4 on lap 10, gaining elasticity at the end, while Bearman, in a 20-lap hard stint, simulated position defense. Pirelli estimates 0.15s degradation per lap on softs after 8 turns, forcing quali management.

Bortoleto, in his simulation, opted for initial C5 to save C6 for quali, running 1:46 averages—enough to fight for Q2. Verstappen, focused on recovery, tested pit offsets for DRS overtakes on the main straight, where zones activate after turns 1, 3, and 16.

• One stop: Predominant in 70% of Baku races, with C5-C4.
• Double: Viable if high degradation, as in 2023 with multiple safety cars.
• Undercut: Effective in the 600m pit lane, with 22s loss per stop.
• Overcut: Risky in traffic, but used by Piastri in 2024 for victory.

Preparation for quali tests limits in third practice

FP3, scheduled for 5:30 AM Brasília time on Saturday, will serve as a dress rehearsal for quali at 9 AM. Teams will prioritize low-fuel runs on C6, focusing on critical turns like 8—a 180-degree chicane where mistakes cost 1s. Hamilton plans multiple attempts to polish sector 2, while Norris targets quick repairs on the McLaren.

Leclerc, with a Baku pole record, will adjust camber to maximize soft grip. Bortoleto, after engineer feedback, will test mixed compounds for Q1. Dry weather forecast, with 24 degrees, favors quick evolutions, but 15 km/h gusts in the castle could complicate matters.

Verstappen, third in FP1 after a red flag for debris, seeks to reset the RB21 with engine updates. Russell, recovered from illness, aims for front row for Mercedes. These tweaks will set the grid for Sunday’s 51-lap race at 8 AM Brasília time, where 25 points could seal McLaren’s title.

Main keywords: Azerbaijan GP 2025, Hamilton Ferrari, Norris crash, F1 soft tires, Leclerc Baku pole

Long-tail keywords: second free practice Azerbaijan 2025, Lewis Hamilton leads FP2 Baku, Lando Norris McLaren collision, F1 C6 tire challenges, Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber Baku

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