The Red Bull driver, who won last time out in Monaco and set the pace in FP1 on Friday, posted a lap just 0.070s quicker than Lecl🌌erc during the final practic🍸e session before qualifying in Baku. 

FP3 was delayed by 15 minutes while barrier repair works we🍰re carried out at Turn 1 following a crash in an earlier F2 race. 

Max Verstappen once again ended up as the second Red Bull driver in third, 0.279s down🍬 on his teammate.&nbsꦕp;

The reigning world champion was set to improve in the cꩲlosing moments of the session but saw his lap ruined by t🐻raffic after he had gone quickest of all in the first sector. 

Carlos Sainz was fourth-quickest for Ferrari, ahead of McLaren pairꦍ Lando Norris and Daniel Riccia🐭rdo, and AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly. 

George Russell ▨was the fastest Merce🍎des driver in eighth, while his seven-time world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton could only set a time good enough for 12th, 1.6s off Perez’s benchmark and two tenths slower than Russell. 

Both Mercedes drivers reported struggles with a lack of rear grip throughout the session in wh🍒at has been a difficult start to the weekend in Azerbaijan for the reiꦓgning world champions. 

“I🍷’m so far off, man. How far am I off?" Hamilton said over team radio. 

Esteban Ocon and Sebastian Vettel completed th�🥀�e top-10 order for Alpine and Aston Martin respectively as just two-tenths separated 10th to 16th.

Once again there were💛 no crashes in practice, though Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and Leclerc both took trips downꦓ Baku’s escape roads. 

As a result of the delayed start💟 to final practice, qualifying will begin 15 minutes later than scheduled at 3.15pm UK time.