In the final free‑practice session (FP3) at the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing re‑asserted its dominance on the street circuit of Baku. According to RacingNews365, Max Verstappen posted the fastest lap of the day with a time of 1:42.312, comfortably ahead of his teammate Sergio Pérez, who was second‑fastest. The Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell occupied the third and fourth slots respectively, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc struggled to find grip, ending the session in eighth place.
Key take‑aways from FP3
- Red Bull’s one‑stop strategy appeared to work best on the long straight, giving Verstappen a clear advantage.
- Mercedes showed improved tyre wear compared with earlier sessions, hinting at a possible two‑stop plan for the race.
- Ferrari’s pace deficit suggests they may need to adjust their aerodynamic setup for the high‑speed sections.
On the support programme, the Formula 2 sprint race delivered a thrilling finish. MotorsportWeek reported that Oscar Piastri, driving for Prema Racing, claimed victory after a tight battle with his teammate, Frederik Vesti. Piastri’s win came after he executed a daring overtake into Turn 1 on the final lap, edging out Vesti by just 0.23 seconds. The podium was completed by French rookie Théo Pourchaire, who finished third, securing valuable points for his ART Grand Prix team.
The F2 sprint also saw a surprise performance from the rookie driver of the season, Ayumu Iwasa, who finished fourth after a strong start and consistent pace. Meanwhile, the usual front‑runners from MP Motorsport and Carlin struggled with tyre degradation, dropping them out of the top five.
For Indian fans: The FP3 session will be streamed live on FanCode at 06:30 IST, while the F2 sprint race kicks off at 09:45 IST on the same platform. The main Grand Prix race is scheduled for Sunday, 12 July, with a start time of 14:00 IST. Indian viewers can also catch the live feed on the official F1 TV app, which offers a dedicated commentary track for the Indian audience.
Source: RacingNews365, MotorsportWeek
