Hamilton third, Leclerc fifth for Ferrari in final Azerbaijan GP practice
Lewis Hamilton set the third-fastest time and Charles Leclerc the fifth in a blustery final free practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
- 1'44"033
- 1'44"544
- 40
- 15
What Happened
Scuderia Ferrari HP drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc finished the third and final free practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with the third and fifth fastest times respectively. The pair waited in the garage for 15 minutes before heading out on Soft tyres, and the Ferrari SF-26s completed 40 laps in total. The circuit was considerably dirtier than the day before because of strong winds that had been blowing since the previous night and remained blustery throughout the session.
- 1'45"093
- 1'44"033
- 1'44"544
1'44"887
His opening time on the first set of Soft tyres
- Hamilton finished third fastest, Leclerc fifth fastest.
- Leclerc set 1'44"887 on his first set of Softs, Hamilton 1'45"093.
- Both drivers improved on a second set of Softs: Hamilton to 1'44"033, Leclerc to 1'44"544.
- Hamilton completed 18 laps, Leclerc 22, for 40 laps in total.
- The track was dirtier than yesterday because of strong winds that began the previous night and stayed blustery.
Previously from Ferrari N.V.
Ferrari arrived in Baku after logging 97 laps on the opening day of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with Leclerc and Hamilton ending the second session fourth and fifth. In first practice the pair had been third and fourth on the timesheet, both setting their fastest laps on Medium tyres. Ahead of the weekend, Hamilton said Ferrari's aim was a clean, well-executed weekend, while Leclerc said the Baku City Circuit rewards commitment and precision and warned that qualifying is where Ferrari struggles most this year.
- Ferrari logs 97 laps in Azerbaijan GP practice as Leclerc and Hamilton chase pace
- Leclerc third, Hamilton fourth for Ferrari in Azerbaijan Grand Prix first practice
- Hamilton targets a clean weekend for Ferrari at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
- Leclerc says commitment and precision are key as Ferrari heads to Baku for Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Ferrari N.V.'s official releases.
Why this matters
Final practice is the last chance for teams and drivers to set their cars up before qualifying, which decides the starting grid for Sunday's race. Ferrari's two drivers ended the session third and fifth, giving the team a reference point for the rest of the Baku weekend.
Terms in This Story
- free practice
- Timed sessions before qualifying and the race where teams test car setups and tyre choices without affecting the grid.
- Soft tyres
- The softest, fastest-wearing compound in a tyre supplier's range, offering more grip but lasting fewer laps.
- SF-26
- The name of the Ferrari Formula 1 car entered for this season.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.