The China Mail - Hamilton tops practice in Ferrari 1-2 as McLaren struggle in Baku

As the title-chasing McLaren duo series leader Oscar Piastri and closest rival Lando Norris experienced a difficult afternoon of scrapes and suspension failures, the seven-time champion demonstrated why he had felt optimistic on Thursday.

He finished the session with a best lap in 1 minute 41.293 seconds to edge 0.074sec ahead of Baku maestro Leclerc, who is chasing a fifth consecutive pole on the intimidating street track.

Russell was third, almost half a second adrift, ahead of his team-mate Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman of Haas and four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull.

Liam Lawson was seventh for Racing Bulls ahead of Esteban Ocon in the second Haas, Williams’ Alex Albon and Norris who suffered an awkward afternoon along with teammate Piastri.

Norris, who is 31 points behind Piastri in the championship, began the day well enough clocking the best time in the morning session as the pair posted an impressive 1-2.

But it went pear-shaped when the Briton crashed in the second session, smacking the wall at Turn Four. It seemed he had damaged his car’s suspension and left rear wheel and he limped back to the pits, missing most of the action.

Piastri then brushed the wall at Turn 15, returning to the pits for a check-up.

He was released to continue but caused another scare in the McLaren garage when he locked up at Turn Two with 20 minutes remaining, a signal not only that he was pushing hard in his long run laps, but also that Baku bites any indiscretion.

In the end Piastri could only clock the twelfth fastest time, two places below Norris.

McLaren will need a significant improvement over the weekend if they are to clinch a second consecutive constructors' championship this weekend with seven races remaining.

For Hamilton, who hit the wall at Turn Five during the morning session damaging his front wing and picking up a puncture, it was confirmation of his progress since the summer break.

He was fastest on both tyre compounds and appeared to have rediscovered his mojo on a circuit where Leclerc had taken the last four pole positions.

Remarkably, it emerged that should Hamilton claim a record-increasing 106th win – and first since last year’s Belgian Grand Prix – on Sunday, he would also become the first F1 driver to score 5,000 points.

C.Smith--ThChM