Sainz’s rear brakes catch fire during first practice in Baku

The rear brakes caught fire when Sainz returned to the garage early in the session, RacingNews365 reports. The Williams crew dealt with the incident quickly. According to the outlet, the brake problems affecting the various drivers occurred in the first fifteen minutes of practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The brakes on the other Williams were not behaving as desired either. Alex Albon reported that his car pulled to one side under braking and that the brake response felt delayed. As a result, he said, he was unsure what response to expect.

Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar also described his car pulling strongly to one side under braking. According to RacingNews365’s account, he said this had nearly caused him to hit the wall; no collision is reported.

At McLaren, Oscar Piastri complained of severe brake vibrations. In the team radio cited by RacingNews365, he estimated that they were about twice as bad as anything he had experienced before. That was his own comparison, not a measured difference.

It has not been established whether the brake problems shared a common cause. The reporting also does not indicate whether Sainz sustained any damage or what the incident meant for his continued participation in the session.