Red Bull driver Sergio Perez fastest at Azerbaijan Grand Prix first practice session, Lewis Hamilton places sixth

Red Bull's Sergio Perez set the fastest time at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix first practice session. The 32-year-old currently sits third in the championship behind Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, but edged out both in an impressive session. Ad/> The Mexican continues to add to this title credentials and looked full of confidence just two weeks after winning the Monaco Grand Prix.

Formula 1'A super exciting project' — Hamilton and Brad Pitt team up for Formula One filmAN HOUR AGO He clocked the fastest lap at 1:45.476, just over a tenth of a second ahead of Leclerc, and over three tenths of a second ahead of Verstappen. At the halfway stage, Perez was 68 hundredths behind Verstappen, but looked the stronger driver as Red Bull switched to soft tyres. Leclerc's teammate Carlos Sainz completed the top four.

/> Lewis Hamilton's struggles continued as his car continued to porpoise, and he was forced to bail into the side lane around the turn to avoid damaging his car. And even after Mercedes adjusted the front suspension on both of their cars, Hamilton — along with several other drives — appeared to struggle down a the bumpy straight. 'Unfinished business' for Max Verstappen ahead of Azerbaijan Grand Prix 'Completely wrong' — Verstappen disagrees with salary cap proposals for Formula One drivers Remarkably, the seven-time world champion recovered to finish just over a second behind Perez to finish sixth.