LANDO NORRIS recovered from Friday’s crash to set the fastest time in Saturday’s final practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The championship-chasing Briton recorded an impressive lap of 1 minute 41.223 seconds on the challenging Baku street circuit despite difficult windy conditions.
Norris finished 0.222 seconds clear of reigning world champion Max Verstappen and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.
Piastri currently leads Norris by 31 points in the drivers’ championship battle heading into Sunday’s race.
McLaren could secure their second consecutive constructors’ title during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton finished fourth for Ferrari after topping Friday’s practice sessions.
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli took fifth place ahead of teammate George Russell in sixth position.
Williams driver Alex Albon secured seventh place while Haas rookie Oliver Bearman claimed eighth.
Racing Bulls newcomer Liam Lawson finished ninth ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in tenth position.
Drivers immediately noted the challenging track conditions with leaves covering the surface and strong winds affecting car stability.
Norris described the conditions as sketchy everywhere with every corner feeling worse than usual during the session.
Hamilton initially led the timesheets before being surpassed by Piastri and then Leclerc with a lap of 1 minute 42.354 seconds.
Verstappen then stormed to the top with a time of 1 minute 41.727 seconds that put him six-tenths clear of the field.
Norris responded with his fastest lap with just ten minutes remaining in the session to claim the top spot.
Hamilton made a late charge on new tyres to jump from twelfth to third position in the final minutes.
The top ten drivers were separated by less than one second in a fiercely competitive session under tricky conditions.
Leclerc finished a disappointing tenth as he seeks his fifth consecutive pole position and first Baku victory. – AFP
