Leclerc Triumphs in Azerbaijan GP Practice Amid Mixed Red Bull Results

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc rebounded from a crash to clock the fastest lap in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix practice sessions. Despite early troubles, Red Bull's Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen showed competitive lap times. Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton also marked strong finishes, while several incidents caused disruptions on the track.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc crashed before setting the fastest time in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix practice on Friday. Red Bull saw mixed results, with Sergio Perez narrowly behind and Max Verstappen facing understeer issues.

Leclerc, who has dominated Baku's pole positions for three years, recorded a lap of 1:43.484 after overcoming a crash in the first session. Red Bull's Sergio Perez trailed by just 0.006 seconds. Max Verstappen led the initial session but fell to sixth later on.

Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes ended the day third fastest. Practice was interrupted for debris removal and crashes involving Leclerc and Williams' Franco Colapinto. The weekend also saw debuts and struggles for other drivers, indicating a challenging circuit.

(With inputs from agencies.)