Mercedes leave F1 rivals facing awkward questions after dominant Baku display

Mercedes emerged as the outright pace-setter through both practice sessions for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with George Russell topping both FP1 and FP2 at the Baku City Circuit.

Russell's one minute 43.347s in the second session was over eight-tenths clear of the closest Red Bull, a gap far too large to be explained by fuel loads or engine modes alone.

Team-mate Kimi Antonelli backed that pace up with second place in FP2, giving Mercedes a striking one-two on a track where straight-line efficiency has historically mattered more than almost anywhere else on the calendar.

That straight-line strength appears to be central to the Brackley-based squad's advantage. With Baku's 2.2-kilometre back straight rewarding low-drag efficiency, and neither Mercedes nor Ferrari submitting any new aerodynamic components for this weekend, the W17's edge is a case of underlying car performance rather than a fresh upgrade unlocking lap time.

Red Bull, by contrast, arrived with five separate updates, including revised floor and diffuser geometries, modified split lines to the floor and new cooling louvres aimed at reliability.

The team has confirmed the changes represent its final major development step of the 2026 campaign. Max Verstappen showed encouraging pace across both sessions, second in FP1 and third in FP2, but still finished 0.827s off Russell's benchmark in the afternoon running, suggesting the new parts have yet to close the gap to Mercedes.

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Ferrari's low-key approach

Ferrari took a notably different route, bringing no updates at all and instead concentrating its practice programme on qualifying preparation.

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished third and fourth in FP1 before slipping to fourth and fifth in FP2, with the team seemingly wrestling with tyre warm-up over single flying laps.

Ferrari's practice pace lagged not just behind Mercedes but Red Bull, too, across both sessions. Whether that gap reflects genuine underlying deficit or simply Ferrari's stated focus on race-simulation work rather than low-fuel heroics remains an open question heading into qualifying.

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McLaren disrupted by floor issues

McLaren's day was complicated by teething problems with an extensive eight-part upgrade package, covering revised sidepod inlets, engine cover, floor edges, diffuser layout, rear suspension fairings and the reintroduction of the team's H-wing.

Floorboard attachment issues disrupted the Woking-based squad's practice programme, and the on-track results reflected that turbulence.

Oscar Piastri was McLaren's stronger performer in FP1, sixth quickest, before dropping to eighth in FP2 as Lando Norris improved from 14th to sixth across the two sessions.

The scale of the update suggests McLaren is targeting a meaningful step in both low-speed traction through Baku's castle section and high-speed stability on the straights, but the makeshift repairs mean it remains unclear how representative the day's times were of the package's true potential.

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Brakes and grip define the challenge

Beyond the upgrade battle, the day's running underlined the physical demands of Baku's unique layout. Heavy braking zones into Turn 1 and Turn 3, combined with low track grip typical of a street circuit early in a race weekend, produced reports of front locking and brake balance trouble across the field.

That combination, low-drag efficiency on the straight paired against mechanical grip through the slow corners, remains the defining aerodynamic compromise of this circuit, and it appears to be one Mercedes has currently solved better than anyone.

With Friday qualifying to follow, after the schedule was moved forward by a day to accommodate Azerbaijan's National Day of Remembrance, Mercedes will start as clear favourites on raw pace. 

But Red Bull's final development push, Ferrari's qualifying-focused conservatism and McLaren's unresolved floor troubles all leave genuine uncertainty over how the order will settle once the sessions begin that actually count.