Azerbaijan – Free Practice 2: Verstappen still in front, in the wall at the end of the session
The calm of the morning session completely disappeared this afternoon. It wasn't easy for the drivers to conclude the timed laps, as more than a few yellow flags were waved. The fresher track and the change in light conditions disturbed the drivers, who made many braking errors and used the escape roads on numerous occasions. Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes were within two tenths of each other, but Hamilton was lagging behind.
After a first session that went smoothly until Sergio Pérez’s accident, the second session this Friday starts at the same pace. The good news is from the Force India garage, where Pérez’s car was repaired by the mechanics, allowing the Mexican to participate in the afternoon session.
At the green light, the Haas drivers are the first to hit the track, accompanied by Palmer and Kvyat. During the first flying lap, Romain Grosjean makes a braking error at turn 3 and takes the escape road. Max Verstappen, for his part, sets the fastest time at the start of the session with 1’45″084, four-tenths off his morning time.
Many braking problems at the start of the session, with successive wheel lockups and drivers using the run-off areas to the maximum. Vettel, Sainz, Grosjean, and Kvyat are getting caught out. Meanwhile, Verstappen continues to improve the best time, recording a 1’43″988. Fernando Alonso emerges to take the fourth time with 1’46″024, still two seconds behind the Dutchman. Bottas and Alonso are also caught out while braking. There are many mistakes, but all occur without material consequences for the drivers.
After his accident this morning, Pérez hasn’t lost any of his confidence or drive—he’s clocking fast laps competing with his French teammate to have the final say. On his lap completed in 1″44’306, he even brushed the barrier he hit this morning, coming in two-tenths better than Ocon. With the eighth-fastest time, Lance Stroll is much better positioned than Felipe Massa, who is fourteenth with a lap completed on medium tires.
Just before the end of the first third of the session, the super-soft tires came out, Bottas and Kvyat improved their marks. Sebastian Vettel takes the same option but cuts his first effort.
The top 10 after the first third of the session
FP2: 30 MINS GONE…
TOP 10
VER 📸
RIC
PER
BOT
OCO
HAM
RAI
KVY
STR
SAI #AzerbaijanGP 🇦🇿 #F1 pic.twitter.com/gEuKbI9Nbp— Formula 1 (@F1) 23 juin 2017
Following a light contact by Kvyat with the wall at turn 15, a piece of the Pirelli banner is on the track, virtual safety car is deployed to pick up the debris. Exiting the pits, Hamilton gets caught out at turn 2 with tires that are too cold and is forced to take a detour through the run-off area. A few minutes later, Vettel follows suit, as he was on a flying lap.
As the session approaches its midpoint, the Ferraris up the ante on super-soft tires, with Vettel taking the best time at 1’43″615, and Räikkönen in second 108 milliseconds behind. Feeling confident, Bottas tackles turn 8 despite a slight braking error, nearly grazing the wall. An unusual scene at the braking of turn 8 sees both Vettel and Massa ending up in the run-off area.
Rush hour traffic jam in Baku 😃 #AzerbaijanGP 🇦🇿 #F1 pic.twitter.com/sck8qxeTZN
— Formula 1 (@F1) 23 juin 2017
Red flag raised, Jolyon Palmer went and hit the wall at turn 8 like Pérez did this morning. The damage is much less severe than on the Force India, but the session is over for him, and this incident puts him in an increasingly uncomfortable situation.
🚩 RED FLAG 🚩@JolyonPalmer has hit the wall at Turn 8 #AzerbaijanGP 🇦🇿 #F1 pic.twitter.com/cN5LCSKBcF
— Formula 1 (@F1) 23 juin 2017
A little over 30 minutes into the session upon resumption, Ocon gets caught out like Hamilton at turn 2 when returning to the track. Verstappen holds the best time at 1’43″362, while Bottas and Räikkönen are a tenth behind the Dutchman. For Hamilton, it’s time for race simulation, and soon all the drivers follow suit.
An image we are all too familiar with this season, Alonso is slowing down after the explosion of the Honda engine. The Spaniard no longer hides his frustration as he exits his car and stands at the side of the track. At Haas, Romain Grosjean returns to the pit complaining once again about the brakes, with the electronic braking system and rear brakes being blamed.
In race simulation, the Ferraris and Red Bulls are consistent and performant, lapping steadily in 1’46” while the Mercedes seem less comfortable. At Renault, Hülkenberg records laps in 1’47”, Pérez achieves the same times at the wheel of his Force India, the same goes for Felipe Massa.
After a final third of the session conducted in calm, Max Verstappen loses his Red Bull at the first corner and crashes into the tire wall, his rear end is completely broken and there are concerns about potential consequences for the engine part of his car.
😵 In the dying seconds of FP2 @Max33Verstappen slams into the wall at Turn 1 #AzerbaijanGP 🇦🇿 #F1 pic.twitter.com/pR3ZiRZYXD
— Formula 1 (@F1) 23 juin 2017
The full ranking of FP2:
PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION (END OF FP2): VER stays top, BOT not far behind #AzerbaijanGP 🇦🇿 #F1 pic.twitter.com/rymOAoWA6A
— Formula 1 (@F1) 23 juin 2017
