Norris on top ahead of Piastri in opening Baku practice

Baku: An in form Lando Norris set the pace ahead of McLaren team mate, title rival and championship leader Oscar Piastri in Friday s eventful and red...

Baku: An in-form Lando Norris set the pace ahead of McLaren team-mate, title rival and championship leader Oscar Piastri in Friday's eventful and red flag-punctuated opening practice at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The 25-year-old Briton, who trails by 31 points in the drivers' title race, clocked a best lap in one minute and 42.704 to top the times, beating his 24-year-old Australian rival by 0.310 seconds.

A similar 1-2 outcome in Sunday's race would clinch a second consecutive constructors' championship success for McLaren and leave the duo to fight for the individual title without the spectre of team orders.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was third, half a second adrift closely followed by fourth-placed George Russell of Mercedes.

Williams' Alex Albon was fifth, ahead of the Red Bulls of Yuki Tsunoda and four-time champion Max Verstappen, Williams' Carlos Sainz and the Racing Bulls pair of Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar.