Baku Twist: Verstappen Tops FP3 as Aston Martin Propels to the Back

The tricky streets of the Baku City Circuit delivered a fascinating final practice session ahead of qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. While the morning elements tested the field with gusty winds and a dirty track surface, the closing minutes reshaped expectations for the weekend ahead.

The primary headline belongs to Aston Martin, which enters the competitive sessions in complete damage-control mode. Following persistent power unit issues throughout the year, the team opted to systematically swap several critical engine components across both cars.

 This tactical overhaul leaves Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll facing a massive combined 50-place grid penalty. Regardless of their single-lap performance, both drivers are automatically relegated to the back row for the main event. Compounding their misery, Stroll’s session ended early in the barriers after clipping the inside wall at Turn 1.

At the other end of the timesheets, Max Verstappen showed that Red Bull cannot be discounted. Mercedes had looked incredibly threatening on medium tyres, but Verstappen timed his final qualifying simulation to perfection. Catching a monstrous slipstream down Baku’s enormous 2km main straight, the reigning champion lunged to the top spot with a blistering 1m43.922s lap.

He narrowly pipped Mercedes' George Russell by less than a tenth of a second, with Lewis Hamilton right behind in third. As track evolution continues rapidly ahead of the crucial qualifying shootout, the battle for the front row remains entirely up for grabs.

By Barbara Cardilli – Motorsport & Lifestyle Expert

Image credit to: @CBAimages