The first free practice session of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend didn't go very well as we got an hour with more red flags rather than actual racing.

The first red flag stopped the session right after its start as a small piece of debris had to be cleared off the track, although no accidents preceded that.

Not long after the restart, Esteban Ocon reported no power of his Alpine as the car got stuck in third gear and headed back to the pits for the rest of FP1.

The streets of Baku really challenged all of the drivers as many of them had to use the escape roads or had to work hard to avoid the barriers.

With 33 minutes into the session, the second red flag was triggered by an accident. Charles Leclerc seemed to enter Turn 15 at an excessive speed, resulting in moderate contact with the barrier as he exited the corner. He promptly informed the team that the section of the track was dirty, despite having completely missed the apex. The Monagasque driver was leading the timesheets at that point.

Not long after, the third and last red flag stopped the session after rookie Franco Colapinto found himself in the barriers at Turn 4. The Argentine driver lost the rear of his as he entered the corner, making contact with the wall on the exit. His FW46 suffered significant damage to the front right. 

The session was resumed with only 10 minutes remaining on the clock but that was enough for Max Verstappen to set the fastest time and win the FP1. Lewis Hamilton finished second with signs of improvement of Mercedes' pace. Sergio Perez followed him third, raising questions that the new floor, which Red Bull brought to Baku might help them bounce back in the battle against McLaren for the Constructor's Championship winner's trophy.