Ahead of today's second session the air temperature is 25 degrees and the track temperature is 32 degrees. It remains bright but cloudy.

In terms of updates, Ferrari has a new Front Corner featuring an enlarged front brake duct cooling exit to cover off the high duty and requirements of the circuit.

Red Bull has a new Rear corner with a re-profiled inboard wing assembly, the revision achieved by modularity of the parts to implement a camber increase to the assembly for more local load whilst maintaining the flow stability.

Mercedes has a new Front Wing whose reduced chord flap drops local front wing load to enable an appropriate car balance to be achieved with a low downforce rear wing.

Racing Bulls have a new Front Corner and Rear Corner. The front brake duct has been modified to increase cooling flow to the front brakes, to suit the requirements of the circuit, as has the rear brake duct.

Norris was quickest in a strangely disjointed session earlier, the red flag having been thrown after a piece of errant rubber bonded with the kerbing.

The greenness of the track combined with its very nature mean that there a number of incidents, including Hamilton and Albon clouting the wall, while the stoppage meant less opportunity to lay down more rubber.

Meanwhile there was an engine scare for Piastri, but that was subsequently resolved.

Interestingly, what running there was saw only the softs in use, with drivers likely to avoid the red-banded rubber come Sunday.

Hulkenberg gets things underway, followed by Bortoleto, Lawson, Ocon and Piastri. As more drivers emerge all three compounds are now in use.

Hulkenberg posts a benchmark 44.218, and while the yellows following Lawson getting it wrong at Turn 15 threatens to pause the action, Piastri responds with a 43.307.

Albon (hard) goes second, ahead of Tsunoda but both are demoted when Verstappen stops the clock at 43.226.

Sainz (medium) goes third as Hamilton makes use of the escape road at Turn 9.

No sooner has Hulkenberg posted a 43.064 than Russell, Bortoleto and Leclerc (42.207) go quicker.

Norris (softs) posts a 42.199 as Bearman uses the escape road at Turn 8.

Lawson improves to fifth with a 42.656 as Hamilton goes quickest in the opening sector. Leclerc goes top with a 41.786, while his teammate crosses the line at 41.938 to go second, 0.152s down.

"He's cruising on the racing line," says Bortoleto of Ocon.

A 42.443 sees Hadjar go fifth on the mediums.

On the mediums Hamilton goes top with a 41.543, eclipsing his soft-shod teammate.

"I hit the wall quite hard," admits Stroll who is currently seventeenth.

With around 40 minutes remaining there is a brief lull as the drivers head back to their garages, though, unlike FP1, it is not due to a yellow flag... or red.

Following several minutes of total inactivity Norris breaks the deadlock, followed by Stroll and Lawson.

Oh dear, a major snap sees Norris clout the wall in Turn 3. "I'm in the wall, tyre's gone," he reports, however his suspension also appears to be damaged.

As he struggles to get back to the pits it is clear his problem isn't restricted to a puncture.

In the meantime, on the mediums Lawson goes fourth with a 41.989 at a time the majority of drivers are on softs.

Leclerc goes quickest in S1, as Piastri also appears to clout the barriers.

Leclerc goes top with a 41.367 as Piastri confirms that he hit the wall but doesn't know if he has incurred damage. A quick stop in the pits confirms that the Australian is good to go.

Alonso can only manage sixteenth (42.967) as the Aston Martin clearly struggles here.

In the McLaren garage Norris's car is up on its stand, the Briton looking unlikely to be getting a race sim in the remaining time.

As Antonelli goes fourth (41.779), teammate Russell goes quickest in S1 but subsequently aborts the lap after getting worryingly out of shape but avoids the wall.

Hamilton goes top with a 41.293 as Bearman heads down the escape road at Turn 8. He had just improved fifth with a 41.891. "These ******* brakes," says the Haas driver.

Piastri is to be investigated for a yellow flag infringement.

Sainz is the latest to have a close encounter with the barriers, while former teammate Leclerc heads down the escape road at Turn 4.

The session ends.

Hamilton is quickest, ahead of Leclerc, Russell, Antonelli, Bearman, Verstappen, Lawson, Ocon, Albon and Norris.

Sainz is eleventh, ahead of Piastri, Hadjar, Tsunoda, Bortoleto, Gasly, Stroll, Hulkenberg, Alonso and Colapinto.

An interesting session, and while we can take the order with a pinch of salt - especially at the top - it is clear that traffic and the walls are going to be a significant factor this weekend.

Check out our Friday gallery from Baku here.