Russell leads Baku FP2 as Lindblad crash triggers red flag

Key points

• George Russell topped FP2 with a time of 1m43.347s, finishing over half a second clear of Kimi Antonelli, who was second.
• Arvid Lindblad crashed into the barrier at Turn 8, triggering a red flag and ending his session early; he later stated he clipped the wall by a millimetre.
• Max Verstappen complained of severe handling issues, describing the car's ride as poor and noting constant counter-steering due to the rear axle lifting.
• Oliver Bearman's engine failed immediately after leaving the garage, while Kimi Antonelli missed significant running due to an engine change and a marshal's fire extinguisher incident.
• Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had close calls with the barriers, while Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly also experienced minor off-track excursions.

Background

This is the second practice session for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit, scheduled for September 26. Recent archive coverage shows a pattern of Mercedes dominance in FP2 sessions, with Russell leading at Monza and Antonelli at the Spanish GP, often accompanied by Lindblad crashes. The current session follows a disrupted FP1 where Antonelli faced hydraulic issues and McLaren had limited running.

How outlets are covering it

Autosport provides detailed live timing and incident reports, highlighting Russell's lead and Lindblad's crash. ESPN and Sky Sports sources were unavailable or blocked, offering no additional perspective on the session's technical details or driver feedback. Autosport notes that Verstappen's handling complaints and the lack of wind may have influenced session dynamics, while other outlets could not be consulted for comparison.

Why it matters

FP2 results indicate Mercedes' strong pace in Baku, with Russell and Antonelli setting the benchmark. Lindblad's crash and technical issues for Bearman and Antonelli may impact their qualifying strategies. Verstappen's handling complaints suggest Red Bull may need setup adjustments for the race, while the red flag disrupted race simulations for several teams.

What to watch

FP3 and qualifying are scheduled for the next day, with Autosport noting that wind conditions could significantly affect performance, as seen in previous years. Teams will analyze FP2 data to refine setups, particularly addressing handling issues reported by Verstappen and technical problems faced by Antonelli and Bearman.