In the second practice session for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, held at the iconic Baku City Circuit, Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing set the pace with a blistering lap time of 1:34.567, comfortably ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez who clocked 1:35.012. The Dutch driver’s performance was a clear indicator of Red Bull’s continued dominance on the high‑speed, high‑downforce Baku layout, where the 6.003‑km track demands both aerodynamic efficiency and precise braking.
Behind the Red Bulls, Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes secured the third fastest lap with a 1:35.876, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Charles‑Lorenzo‑Alonso finished fourth and fifth respectively. The top five were separated by less than a second, underscoring the competitive nature of the front‑row battle. Notably, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri struggled to find traction on the circuit’s long straights, posting times of 1:37.245 and 1:37.578, which placed them outside the top ten. McLaren’s engineers are already working on aerodynamic tweaks to improve straight‑line speed for the upcoming race weekend.
The practice session also highlighted the challenges of the Baku street circuit for teams with less powerful cars. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Williams’ George Russell were the fastest among the midfield teams, recording lap times of 1:38.912 and 1:39.045 respectively. The tight corners and narrow sections of the track demand precise car setup, and teams are using FP2 data to refine suspension and brake balance before the race.
For Indian fans, the 2026 Azerbaijan GP will be broadcast live on FanCode from 10:30 PM IST on Sunday, 17 September. The FP2 session, which ran from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM local Baku time, will be available for streaming on the same platform. Keep an eye on the live commentary for real‑time updates and expert analysis as teams fine‑tune their cars for the high‑octane race that follows.
Source: Formula1.com, Motorsport Week
