The second practice session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix delivered significant drama and unexpected turns. Lewis Hamilton demonstrated formidable speed, securing the fastest time and leading a strong Ferrari one-two performance. In contrast, it was a challenging session for McLaren’s hopefuls, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, both of whom found themselves in contact with the unforgiving walls of the Baku street circuit.
Following an already incident-filled opening session on this demanding urban track, Ferrari skillfully capitalized on the evolving conditions to rise to the top of the leaderboard. McLaren, surprisingly, faced considerable difficulties during a crucial weekend, as they are on the verge of potentially clinching the 2025 Constructors` Championship.
Lando Norris, who had shown promising pace by topping the morning session, experienced a premature end to his afternoon practice. Approximately 30 minutes into the session, on his seventh lap, Norris clipped the wall at the exit of Turn Four, damaging his car`s left-rear. After carefully making his way back to the pit lane, his car was immediately taken to the garage for thorough inspections. This unfortunate incident meant Norris missed out on critical long-run simulations for the remainder of the hour, a vital part of race preparation.
“A costly one,” admitted Norris, who ended the session in 10th position. “It was feeling good until then. I would rather feel like this and find the limits than not push at all.”
This incident will undoubtedly provide McLaren with much to analyze as they prepare for the upcoming qualifying session and the main Grand Prix race. Ferrari`s strong showing, coupled with McLaren`s unexpected troubles, sets the stage for an intriguing weekend in Baku.
Rupert Hollis 
Marcus Prine