Team Summary:
The opening Friday practice for the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix would commence with a large number of drivers coming out all using the hard tyre, including both Williams. The track was very dusty in parts as Ocon set the first time but Leclerc would go quickest with a 1m:47.701 followed by Sainz and Norris. Sainz was now quickest with a 1m:46,706 but Leclerc would move ahead with a 1m:45.964. Norris was now second followed by Sainz and Gasly. The Williams cars were currently 9th and 15th. This would become 11th and 14th as the Williams drivers continued to run on the hard. Bottas was now in fourth followed by Gasly, Hamilton, Stroll, Alonso, Ricciardo, and Tsunoda tenth.

Hamilton would move to the top of the times with a 1m:45.112 using the soft tyre followed by Norris, Leclerc, Sainz, Ricciardo and Verstappen sixth. Verstappen was now second, on the medium tyre, ahead of Norris, Leclerc, Vettel, Sainz, Stroll, Ricciardo, Alonso and Raikkonen. Thirty six minutes remaining in the session with both Williams cars back in their pits. Both Haas cars were running on the soft tyre currently slowest. Hamilton had been able to improve with a 1m:43.893 followed by Verstappen and now Gasly. The Williams drivers on the soft tyre would be 7th and 12th but would drop to 10th and 13th. With more soft tyre runs Ricciardo was now quickest with a 1m:43.732 followed by Hamilton and Leclerc. Twenty minutes remaining and Sainz was now fastest with a 1m:43.521 only to see Leclerc go quicker with a 1m:43.227.

Ricciardo was now third followed by Hamilton, Norris, Verstappen, Gasly, Stroll, Perez and Vettel tenth. The Williams drivers were currently 13th and 14th with both out on the medium. Looks like the questions as to their performance at Baku were being answered. At the front Verstappen had been able to move to the top of the times with a 1m:43.184 followed by Leclerc, Sainz, Perez, Ricciardo, Gasly, Hamilton, Norris, Bottas, and Raikkonen tenth. The session would end with the top ten remaining the same. Outside the top ten Alonso was 11th followed by Giovinazzi, Stroll, Tsunoda, Vettel, Ocon, and the Williams pair. Overall what seems like a difficult session for both Williams drivers with the track conditions with wind no doubt playing its part.

George Russell:
George would start his practice leaving the pits on teh hard tyre. A 1nm:51.862 from George seeing him seventh. He would drop down the order but a 1m:48.798 would see him ninth dropping to 12th. Even with a 1m:47.723 and George was now 13th. He would drop to 14th pitting after a nine lap run. George would return on the soft tyre currently 16th. He would set a 1m:45.452 to be fourth dropping to fifth. This would become 7th then he would drop to 14th. he would pit but shortly after return on the medium tyre. He would drop to 16th as Ocon and Tsunoda moved ahead. This would become 17th as he continued his medium tyre run. He would complete his session in 17th after a eight lap medium tyre run.

Nicholas Latifi:
Nicholas would follow his team-mate ut also using the hard tyre. A 1m:52.660 from Nicholas would see him tenth. A 1m:49.050 would see him now 14th. A 1m:48.781 from Nicholas would see him now 11th one place ahead of his team-mate. But he would drop to 16th. Nicholas would drop to 18th as Schumacher moved ahead using the soft tyre. He would then drop to be 20th. He would return running this time on the soft tyre. A 1m:45.774 from Nicholas would see him 12th dropping to 14th. This would become 16th as he pitted after a seven lap run. Nicholas would fall to 18th as he returned to the track on the medium tyre. With the end of the session Nicholas would complete six laps remaining 18th.