Russell tops first practice at Baku Grand Prix as Antonelli & Norris struggle

[p]World championship leader [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]Kimi Antonelli[/a], in the second Mercedes, was fifth-quickest after pulling up during the session with hydraulics failure in hazy, warm conditions.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russell-george/xxF56RaN/"]Russell[/a] clocked a best lap in one minute and 45.387 seconds to outpace four-time champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verstappen-max/UV3mgeXB/"]Verstappen[/a] by 0.400sec, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leclerc-charles/KlCOSRub/"]Charles Leclerc[/a], chasing a fifth pole position in Baku and first win, adrift by a further 0.004sec.[/p][p]Seven-time champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hamilton-lewis/tI5Vpe1h/"]Lewis Hamilton[/a] was fourth with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/piastri-oscar/MqKAIeUf/"]Oscar Piastri[/a] sixth for McLaren.[/p][p]World champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norris-lando/WSVABbVF/"]Lando Norris[/a] endured a tricky session in the second McLaren with various car problems before winding up 14th, having run only 14 laps compared to 25 by both Ferraris. Antonelli only completed nine laps.[/p][embed guid="556a092f-98ed-4cf4-b28a-1c7de7a48ec2" url="https://x.com/F1/status/2103057035289858076" social-type="twitter" /][p]On his return to action with Red Bull, after a broken wrist, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hadjar-isack/8SAk38Ui/"]Isack Hadjar[/a] also had brake and engine problems on his way to running only eight laps to finish 20th.[/p][p]Leclerc initially topped the times in 1:54.395, but they fell rapidly with Verstappen taking over as the pair traded best laps on hard tyres until after 20 minutes Antonelli took command in 1:46.265.[/p][p]The Italian then came to a halt at Turn Seven, having lost hydraulics. As he evacuated, the marshals chose to squirt fire extinguisher into the car without clear reason as a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was deployed for two minutes.[/p][p]The track gradually 'rubbered in' to deliver more grip and incidents, with Verstappen locking up at Turn One before Russell avoided a crash at Turn Three with a spectacular reflex save into a run-off area.[/p][p]Verstappen, seeking his third win on the fast streets of Baku, went top again before being leapfrogged by the Briton, thanks to a generous tow from two-time champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alonso-fernando/rVRhR90U/"]Fernando Alonso's[/a] Aston Martin.[/p]