Verstappen tops final practice in Azerbaijan, ending Russell’s perfect‑run hopes

Max Verstappen reclaimed the fastest lap in the third and final practice session (FP3) for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, posting a 1:41.915 on the Baku City Circuit. The Dutch driver’s performance broke George Russell’s run of three consecutive practice session wins, a streak that began in the previous round in Miami.

Russell, who had topped both FP1 and FP2 on Saturday, finished second in FP3, just 0.067 seconds off Verstappen’s time. Lewis Hamilton completed the top three, clocking in 0.152 seconds slower than the Red Bull driver. The session, which ran from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm local time (8:00 am – 9:30 am IST), gave teams a final chance to fine‑tune aerodynamics and tyre strategies ahead of qualifying later in the day.

Red Bull’s engineers appeared pleased with the pace, noting that the car’s low‑downforce setup suited the long straight‑line sections of the Baku circuit. Mercedes, meanwhile, highlighted the consistency of both its drivers, with Russell’s near‑perfect run suggesting the team remains a strong contender for the weekend’s podium places. The session also saw a brief interruption when a stray tyre was recovered from the runoff area, but no major incidents were reported.

For Indian fans: The Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying will start at 5:00 pm local time (12:30 am IST on Sunday). Indian viewers can watch the session live on FanCode, which holds streaming rights for the race weekend. The race itself is scheduled for 6:00 pm local time (1:30 am IST on Sunday), offering a convenient early‑morning slot for Indian audiences.

Verstappen’s FP3 win adds momentum to his championship campaign, especially after a challenging weekend in Miami where he finished fourth. With the Baku circuit’s high‑speed nature often rewarding bold tyre strategies, the final practice results hint at a potentially thrilling qualifying and race day.

Source: Formula1.com