2022 F1 Azerbaijan GP FP2: What did we learn?

The first day of the Azerbaijan GP weekend is finally over with both free practice sessions done. In what was a rather straightforward session for the street circuit, almost every team was able to get through its run plan without too much of a difficulty.

Surprisingly, there wasn't any red flag or massive crash as everyone stuck to the basics. Charles Leclerc ended the session on top of the timesheets with the fastest lap, closely followed by the Red Bull duo of Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen. So, what did we learn in the second free practice session of the Azerbaijan GP? Let's find out.

---

#1 Ferrari has the edge over a single lap, but Red Bull has tire life

There was a certain change in setups; while Ferrari tried the low downforce set-up, Red Bull tried its hand at the high downforce one. The roles were then reversed as Red Bull was faster in the middle sector, while Ferrari had the edge on the straights and gained time in those sections.

However, one characteristic of both the cars remained the same. The Italian team's car appears to be harder on its tires and can pull off a spectacular one-lap pace. However, Red Bull appears to be very gentle on its tires and the team will benefit from that in the race.

In all likelihood, Red Bull will revert to its low downforce setup while Ferrari decides how it wants to tune the car. It's going to be a close battle between both teams.

---

#2 Max Verstappen might need to look over his shoulder at Red Bull

Although Verstappen did not have the cleanest of sessions, there's one thing that is a shocker at the moment. Sergio Perez appears to have the edge over his teammate. The Mexican was faster in both FP1 and FP2 of the Azerbaijan GP, while the reigning world champion looked uncomfortable.

In the Azerbaijan GP, both the Red Bulls are expected to have superior race pace compared to Ferrari. Could we be looking at a scenario where we have two teammates fighting it out against each other for the win?

---

#3 Mercedes is back to its pre-Barcelona form

The Mercedes that showed up at the Spanish GP is not there anymore. The car looked horrible on the track. It's porpoising all over the place and if we talk about shocking revelations, Mercedes is 21 kmph slower than Fernando Alonso's Alpine down the straight.

Mercedes drivers will once again be doing what they have done all season: qualifying in the midfield and then using their superior race pace to charge through the field.

---

#4 Fernando Alonso is showing strong form, but there's a catch

The almost nonexistent rear wing seems to be doing the job for Alpine in Baku. Fernando Alonso set the fastest S3 in FP2 and this was primarily the result of the skinny rear wing. Fernando Alonso finished the session in fourth place and even had decent race pace which does set up bright prospects for the weekend.

But for now, let's take these results with a grain of salt as even in the last few races, Alpine has been found guilty of running the car in a higher engine mode. Whether the speed is conclusive will become evident on Saturday, but looking at the skinny rear wing of the car, it looks good for the Alpines during the Azerbaijan GP.

---

#5 Daniel Ricciardo and Mick Schumacher appear to be in the worst shape possible

Daniel Ricciardo ended the Azerbaijan GP FP2 three-tenths and four places down on Lando Norris, while Mick Schumacher was almost nine-tenths of a second down on Magnussen. Both of these drivers are desperate for a good result in the Azerbaijan GP, but looking at their performance levels relative to their teammates, it does not look too good for them. Both drivers are rumored to be fighting for their future right now.

Don't forget to tune in tomorrow for FP3 and the Azerbaijan GP Qualifying.