Monaco’s Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in the second free practice session of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Friday, the 17th round of the Formula 1 World Championship, while overall leader Max Verstappen was only 6th.
The Ferrari driver, winner of the last GP in Monza in Italy, beat the Mexican Sergio Perez (Red Bull) by only 6/1000ths. In the streets of the capital Baku, the Briton Lewis Hamilton finished 3rd, only 66/1000ths behind the Monegasque.
Leclerc, who spent a good part of the session in his garage due to a mechanical problem, thus responded to Verstappen (Red Bull), who set the best time earlier in the afternoon during the first tests but was only 6th on Friday evening, more than half a second behind the Scuderia driver.
The other Ferrari, that of the Spaniard Carlos Sainz, took the 4th best time, ahead of the McLaren of Oscar Piastri and very far from Lando Norris only 17th.
No reason to worry, however, since the McLaren driver, runner-up to Verstappen in the championship, was simply hindered by the Alpine of Frenchman Pierre Gasly on his fast lap.
Gasly finished 18th, ahead of teammate Esteban Ocon in 19th.
On Saturday, the drivers will take part in a third and final free practice session, scheduled for 10:30 a.m., before competing in qualifying at 2:00 p.m.
hdy/bde
