Leclerc wakes up and beats the Red Bulls in free practice in Baku

Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) reacted in Baku and, in the second practice session of the Formula 1 Azerbaijan GP, he was faster than ‘Checo’ Pérez and Max Verstappen.

El Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) was the fastest this Friday, just ahead of the Mexican Sergio Pérez (Red Bull), in the second free practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the eighth in the World Championship formula 1which takes place on the Baku street circuit.

In the best of his 23 laps, Leclerc covered the 6,003 meters of the urban track in the Azerbaijani capital in one minute, 43 seconds and 224 thousandths, 248 less than ‘Checo’ -winner a year ago in Baku- and with 356 more than the companion of the Mexican, the Dutch Max Verstappen.

The leader of the World Championship, with nine points more than the Monegasque, repeated the third longest circuit on the calendar 17 times. They all set their best times on the soft tyre.

The Spanish Fernando Alonso (Alpine) y Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) set the fourth and fifth times, respectively, in which the best times of the day were set.

The Asturian double world champion did 21 laps and stayed, with the soft compound, 918 thousandths behind Leclerc; while the talented driver from Madrid -who turned three times more than his compatriot- invested, with the medium, one second and 50 thousandths more than his Monegasque companion.

On the track with the longest straight in the World Championship -two kilometers and 200 meters-, which benefits the single-seaters with the highest top speed, all of them brushed the walls on more than one occasion; and the track exits were lavished, among which those of ‘Checo’ -recently renewed with Red Bull until 2024 and third in the championship, only 15 points from the 125 with which ‘Mad Max’ leads- and those of Leclerc.

The third free practice will take place this Saturday, hours before the qualifying that will order the race on Sunday, scheduled for 51 laps, to complete a 306-kilometre route.