There are no more excuses: the summer break ended for Formula 1 three weeks ago and this weekend the ‘Big Circus’ moves to the borders between Europe and Asia for the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, a new opportunity for ‘Checo’ Pérez to demonstrate his potential.
Free practice sessions (FP’s) began this Friday, where F1 drivers test their respective cars, as well as the track, weather conditions and other factors, which help them design the best strategy for qualifying.
The good news for the Mexican driver is that not only have they worked hard to improve the RB20, but also that Baku is one of the tracks with the most victories for him. How will he fare in practice?
Free practice 3 in Baku 2024: ‘Checo’ fell off the podium
The final free practice session, which took place this Saturday, was not the best for the Mexican driver, as he had been in the top 3, but now finished in seventh position, 510 thousandths of a second behind George Russell, who took first place.
‘Checo’ put in his best performance in this FP with a time of 1:43.024, and although he improved on previous sessions, he fell short compared to his results from Friday thanks to the track conditions and the two red flags that were displayed.
The test began on a dirty, slippery and wet track, as it had rained beforehand, and was interrupted after fifteen minutes with a red flag when Esteban Ocon’s Alpine stopped, which was complicated for the drivers as none of them had set a time until then.
The second red flag came courtesy of Oliver Bearman, who lost control and ended up against the safety barriers, damaging the front left of his car. In the end, the times were as follows:
Azerbaijan GP Free Practice 2: ‘Checo’ was SO close to first place…
During the second free practice session held at the Baku circuit, Mexican Sergio Pérez was almost close to winning first place, as he finished six thousandths of a second behind Charles Leclerc, first in FP2.
‘Checo’ repeated the track 22 times, where his best time was 1:43.490 using soft tyres, like most of the 20 drivers, so.
Charles Leclerc clocked a time of 1:43.483, thereby ‘snatching’ the win from Perez who was hot on his heels in second place. To complete the top three, Lewis Hamilton entered the fray in 1:43.550. Max Verstappen, ‘Checo’s’ teammate at Red Bull, finished sixth.
Free practice 1 in Baku: Red Bull made it 1-3 with Verstappen and ‘Checo’
After several weekends of poor performance not only for ‘Checo’ Pérez, but also for Max Verstappen, the Red Bull team stood out in the first free practice session and achieved podium finishes with both drivers.
Pérez, who was 376 thousandths behind Max Verstappen, made his best run in a time of 1:45.922, entering the ‘podium’ that the first hour of activities left.
In addition to the Red Bull drivers, Lewis Hamilton entered the race in the top three; he took second place with a time of 1:45.859. The race went off without any major incidents and the overall time table was as follows.
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2024 schedule: What time and where to watch practice?
The Baku Street Circuit, located in the capital of Azerbaijan, is known for its street layout and unique features, such as the circuit’s main straight, which is one of the longest on the calendar.
Here are all the details about the practice schedules, which take place on Friday and Saturday, as well as where to follow the live broadcast from Mexico.
F1 dates and times: When is the Azerbaijan GP in Baku in 2024?
To enjoy the action that F1 generates from the practices at this Azerbaijan GP, you will have to get up early and stay up late, as two of the three sessions take place at dawn.
- Free practice 1: September 13, 03:30 hours
- Free practice 2: September 13, 07:00 hours
- Free practice 3: September 14, 02:30 hours
Please note that the times are in Central Mexico time, so if you live in a region where the time is different, you will have to confirm it.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix broadcast: Where to watch Formula 1 2024 live from Mexico?
In Mexico, the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix can be followed live on various F1 television and streaming platforms.
The sites from where you can watch not only the practices, but also all the weekend’s activities, are:
- Fox Sports
- Fox Sports 3
- Fox Sports Premium
- F1 TV
In addition, you have the option of following the complete coverage on El Financiero Deportes.
Formula 1: How did ‘Checo’ Pérez fare at the Grand Prix in Baku?
The Baku Street Circuit is an ‘old acquaintance’ of ‘Checo’ Pérez, who has demonstrated his ability and skill in manoeuvring on it.
He is also the driver with the most wins in Azerbaijan, with two occasions and four podiums in total. These are the latest streaks of the Mexican driver in this Grand Prix.
