A year ago, Lando Norris SB Nation We take our readers through the tough test of the Baku City Circuit, host of this weekend's Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. From the twisty 'Castle Corner' section to the tight and narrow course all the way to the start/finish line, Azerbaijan offers some of the tightest corners and biggest challenges of the season.
As the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix got underway on Friday, both Charles Leclerc and Franco Colapinto were keenly aware of that fact.
Two drivers crashed during FP1, with both crashes bringing out the red flag.
First came Leclerc's crash, which brought out the second red flag of the session (the first was due to debris). Leclerc looked very fast not only in lap times but also on the overall timesheets, but he locked up at Turn 15 and crashed into the barriers midway through the session.
The session resumed, but late in FP1, Colapinto's FW46 crashed into the wall at Turn 4, bringing out the red flag again.
When the chequered flag waved at the end of FP1, it was none other than Max Verstappen at the top of the timesheets, with team-mate Sergio Pérez (aka the 'King of the Streets') just two places behind Verstappen in third place.
Can Red Bull provide an answer for other teams this week in Azerbaijan?
