2016 F1 Round 8 European Grand Prix FP1 – Hamilton leads, Ricciardo crash brings out red flag

The 2016 European Grand Prix was held for the first time in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Friday’s FP1 gave the drivers their first full opportunity to explore the new street circuit. Heavy braking zones at the end of long straights and narrow corners through the old town meant establishing fresh braking references and judging the distance to the walls.

Archive image of the 2016 VF-16. The Formula1-Data image page leaves the specific event and shooting location unspecified.

Esteban Gutiérrez became the first driver to take an F1 car onto the Baku circuit, while Rosberg was the first to set a timed lap. The Mercedes driver gradually improved from a 1:57.306 to a 1:50.100, with the lap times reflecting his growing familiarity with the track.

Hamilton then lowered the benchmark to a 1:49.174 and subsequently a 1:48.214. Rosberg followed on a 1:48.473, while Bottas was provisionally third with a 1:49.923. Mercedes occupied the leading positions early on.

After the halfway point, Bottas moved to the top with a 1:47.707 on soft tyres, but then reported smoke in the cockpit. Williams needed to check the car, and he was unable to keep the fastest time.

After Mercedes switched to supersoft tyres, Rosberg set a 1:46.812 before Hamilton went faster with a 1:46.435. Hamilton subsequently went off line at Turn 3, then at Turns 1 and 3 again, before returning to the pits to end his running.

With more than twenty minutes remaining, Ricciardo lost control at Turn 15. The right-rear suspension of his Red Bull struck the barrier and was badly damaged. A red flag followed, and Ricciardo finished the session thirteenth.

After the green flag, Sainz also had a moment on the approach to Turn 15. He stopped without entering the escape road, and his front wing lightly touched the outside barrier and was damaged.

The newly laid track surface was slippery. Vettel spun at Turn 16, Gutiérrez went off at Turns 15 and 4, and Ericsson ran off at Turn 1. Verstappen was affected by an oil leak, leaving both Red Bulls with problems.