Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Max Verstappen ‘confident’ after Friday training, Lando Norris says McLaren is off pace in Baku | F1 News

Lando Norris says McLaren is “nonetheless a good distance off” on tempo with its rivals after Friday’s observe for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The Briton, who was making an attempt to scale back Max Verstappen’s 62-point lead within the drivers’ championship with eight rounds of the season remaining, failed within the extra consultant second of the day. Throughout the race, his flying lap was ruined by Alpine driver Pierre Gasly, and he completed solely seventeenth.

Norris mentioned teammate Oscar Piastri’s fifth place extra precisely mirrored McLaren’s tempo, with the Australian half a second off the lead time set by Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.

Verstappen solely completed sixth however had earlier topped the primary observe session, and Crimson Bull’s efficiency improved along with his team-mate Sergio Perez ending simply behind LeBron James. Leclerc, forward of Lewis Hamilton within the Mercedes and Carlos Sainz within the second Ferrari.

“We nonetheless have a protracted technique to go,” Norris mentioned. “I needed to work too exhausting to get a lap time. Clearly, I feel Oscar’s place is extra like our place.

“I feel if we are able to do this, we’re nearly there, however I am positive they don’t seem to be near that but.

“To be trustworthy, I feel we nonetheless have rather a lot to search out in comparison with Mercedes, Ferrari and Crimson Bull – they’re all very related and we’re nonetheless three to 4 tenths away.

“So, we nonetheless have quite a lot of work to do.”

McLaren’s robust type since putting in main early-season upgrades in Might has ensured they’ve no less than one automotive on the rostrum in every of the previous 12 races, though Norris has didn’t profit from their Velocity, thus not having the ability to obtain as many outcomes as Verstappen might need finished.

When requested what prompted McLaren’s apparently uncommon relaxation day, Norris dismissed ideas that his automotive had been on its strongest run wherever in current months.

“There have been quite a lot of tracks the place we weren’t quick sufficient,” Norris mentioned. “Folks at all times wish to imagine we’re the perfect in every single place, however, yeah, we’re not.

“We have at all times finished higher than different groups. We have at all times recognized Ferrari are quick right here. I feel in these monitor circumstances Mercedes shall be quick too.

“It’s extremely slippery on the market. I feel we naturally carry out properly on the upper grip surfaces and the monitor remains to be a good distance from the place we have been final yr.

“So it is simply exhausting proper now, however we will work exhausting tonight. The automotive remains to be good. I am positive we are able to nonetheless get lap occasions out of it, however we’ve not been in quite a lot of races the place we’re as clearly forward as we’re proper now.”

Verstappen: An awesome day for Crimson Bull

Crimson Bull’s lead over McLaren within the constructors’ championship has been decreased to eight factors after a disastrous efficiency at Monza final weekend, however the RB20 regarded extra steady on the Baku Metropolis Circuit on Friday.

Verstappen is on a six-race winless streak, however he could not even get on the rostrum at Monza, prompting many to declare the title race to be tight.

“I feel general it was a superb day,” Verstappen mentioned.

“We discovered rather a lot. Now it is only a matter of checking out what we have tried. We’re extra aggressive this weekend thus far, in order that’s a constructive.”

When requested the place Crimson Bull’s progress got here from, Verstappen replied: “There’s quite a lot of work behind it and it will not cease, however in the present day was constructive.”

Verstappen mentioned he was “assured” that Crimson Bull can be in competition for Saturday’s qualifying session, a barely ominous signal for his rivals.

He added: “FP2 was slightly bit troublesome for me, so we simply need to get the stability proper additional. I am very assured that we could be aggressive.”

Hamilton has ‘actually good day’ as Russell suffers engine points

Hamilton is simply 0.066 seconds behind Leclerc and shall be seeking to combat again after two disappointing qualifying periods after the summer time break.

The seven-time world champion admitted he had struggled on one lap this yr and trailed 12-4 in a head-to-head assembly with Mercedes team-mate George Russell.

However Hamilton mentioned Mercedes was “there or thereabouts”, with Crimson Bull and Ferrari main the way in which in Baku.

“It has been a very good day. I loved it in the present day. I began operating from the beginning, setting it up step-by-step,” mentioned Hamilton, who additionally favored the texture of the previous floorboards Mercedes used throughout the race.

“This time, we really feel like we have no steps that we do not have to begin over. It simply retains constructing.

“I feel we will be cautious and attempt to profit from what we have now. I hope we’re as near the lead because it seems to be like.”

Russell had a tricky Friday as he completed eighth and ninth in each races in Baku.

He completed a second behind Hamilton within the second observe, however his time was hampered when Mercedes had issues within the opening session and was compelled to alter its engine.

Sensor points additionally precipitated Russell’s long term to finish prematurely, placing him at a drawback heading into Saturday’s race.

“It wasn’t our greatest Friday, that is for positive. Lewis regarded quick on the market,” mentioned Russell, who was utilizing one other engine in his pool and subsequently wouldn’t obtain a grid penalty.

“We all know the automotive is able to performing some robust issues nevertheless it regarded very robust once more right here on Friday. They at all times appear to be robust round Baku.”

Sky Sports activities F1 stay broadcast of Azerbaijan Grand Prix schedule

Saturday, September 14
9.15am: Azerbaijan Grand Prix observe three (race begins at 9.30am)
11.10am: F2 dash
12.15pm: Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying preparations
1pm: Azerbaijan Grand Prix Qualifying*
3pm: Ted’s Qualification Pocket book

Sunday, September 15
8.30am: F2 Particular Race
10:30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Azerbaijan Grand Prix preparation*
12pm: Azerbaijan Grand Prix*
2pm: Checkered flag: Azerbaijan GP response
3pm: Ted’s Pocket book

* Additionally broadcast stay on Sky Sports activities Fundamental Occasion

System 1 will depart the continent this weekend for the Baku and Azerbaijan Grand Prix, stay on Sky Sports activities F1. Watch every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Monthly Membership – no contract, cancel anytime