Saturday’s third practice session for the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix officially got underway at the Baku City Circuit, marking the final on‑track opportunity for teams to perfect their cars before qualifying. The session, which runs for an hour, sees drivers push the 6.003‑km street layout at full speed, gathering crucial data on tyre wear, fuel loads and aerodynamic balance.
According to the official Formula 1 website, the session started at 13:30 GMT (19:00 IST) and featured a mixed‑weather forecast, with clear skies but a chance of light wind that could affect the long straight between Turn 1 and Turn 2. Early laps indicated that Mercedes and Red Bull were still battling for outright pace, while Ferrari appeared to be focusing on tyre degradation ahead of the sprint race later in the weekend.
Caspian Post echoed the timing and added that the session is expected to be especially important for the midfield teams, who often rely on the final practice to lock in a competitive qualifying set‑up. The Baku circuit’s unique combination of tight corners and a 2.2‑km straight means that a small aerodynamic tweak can translate into a significant lap‑time gain. Teams are also testing the new 2024 tyre compounds supplied by Pirelli, with the soft and medium tyres slated for use in the sprint and the main race respectively.
What this means for Indian fans
For viewers in India, the third practice will be broadcast live on FanCode, starting at 19:00 IST. While practice sessions are generally less dramatic than qualifying, they often provide the first glimpse of how the new 2024 spec cars handle the high‑speed Baku straight, which can be a decisive factor for the sprint race on Sunday. Indian audiences can also keep an eye on the performance of Indian‑linked drivers and teams, as any strong showing in practice can boost morale ahead of the sprint.
With qualifying scheduled for later on Saturday (22:00 GMT / 02:30 IST on Sunday) and the sprint race set for Sunday morning, the data collected in this final practice will shape the strategies for the remainder of the weekend. Fans should watch for any late‑session improvements from the midfield, as a strong practice performance often translates into surprise results in the sprint.
Source: Formula 1
