Ahead of today's sole practice session the air temperature is 22 degrees C, while the track temperature is33 degrees. It is bright, sunny but very windy.
Hamilton topped the timesheets in FP2 - yes, you read that right, Hamilton - with teammate Leclerc second, the pair almost half-a-second clear of the opposition.
However, that doesn't begin to tell the story. A lot of track time was lost in FP1 due to an issue with the kerbing, while there were numerous incidents in the second session as drivers discovered that Baku is just as unforgiving as Monaco.
Other than traffic, the barriers were a significant issue, and while most drivers were content with the occasional kiss, others, like Norris, went that little bit further... and paid the price.
Indeed, it wasn't the smoothest of days for McLaren, with Piastri brushing the barriers and getting a reprimand for a yellow flag misdemeanour.
Consequently, this weekend could prove to be something of a lottery.
Incidentally, Hamilton puts much of his form yesterday is down to braking, describing them as "perfect".
The lights go green but there is no immediate rush to action.
Eventually Lawson breaks the deadlock, followed by Bearman, both on the hard rubber.
In FP1 only the softs were used, while in FP2 most drivers found the mediums to be better than the red-banded rubber.
"The wind is pushing me a lot to the right on the straight," reports Hadjar.
Bearman is the first of the day to make use of an escape road (Turn 4). The Briton goes on to post the first time of the day... a 2:23.669. The Haas driver subsequently improves to 47.333
Norris is next out, the driver, on softs, immediately reporting the strength of the wind.
Ocon heads out on hards, followed by Piastri and Hulkenberg who are both on softs.
As Bearman improves to 45.724, Norris crosses the line at 45.815.
Lawson goes third with a 48.367 as more drivers head out, the majority on softs.
Quickest in the opening two sectors, Piastri posts a 44.817 and Hulkenberg a 45.552, the German quickest in S3.
"It's sketchy everywhere," says Norris, "every corner feels worse."
As Bearman (hard) goes top (44.450), Leclerc goes second (44.693) on softs and Hamilton sixth (45.884) also on the softs.
A 44.547 sees Tsunoda go second on the softs and Albon third (44.561).
Eleven minutes in and Verstappen and Russell have yet to appear.
Quickest in the opening two sectors, Norris posts a 43.640 to go top as Antonelli's 44.099 is good enough for second.
Lawson goes third with a 44.318 having received a double tow.
Leclerc almost comes to grief in Turn 16 due to the wind but still goes quickest with a 43.048. Elsewhere, his teammate heads down the escape road at Turn 3. Had this been qualifying the Monegasques time would have been deleted for track limits.
Verstappen and Russell head out.
The Dutchman wastes no time in getting on the pace, posting a 43.444 to go second, as Russell can only manage fourteenth.
Quickest in S3, Hamilton goes top with a 42.988, the fastest lap of the weekend thus far.
Piastri unhappy with traffic.
Hadjar goes fourth on the hard as Bortoleto is off at Turn 3.
Piastri posts a 42.726 as Sainz goes second just 0.166s behind.
"I hit the wall inside Turn 6," reports Gasly, "my thumb, ****," he adds. The Alpine driver is currently 19th. Despite his sore thumb the Frenchman continues.
His teammate fourth, Ocon improves to ninth on the hards.
Both Aston Martin drivers remain well over a second off the pace.
Verstappen improves to second with a 42.567.
Leclerc brushes the wall in the opening sector but continues. "Any puncture," he asks. "Nothing yet," comes the reply.
Verstappen is quickest in S1. He maintains the pace in S2, crossing then line at 41.727, 0.601 up on Leclerc's best.
"Check the suspension," asks Leclerc as he pits and his teammate improves to third.
Ahead of the qualifying sims Piastri is fourth, 0.999s off the pace, and Norris thirteenth, 1.913s down on Verstappen.
Tsunoda improves to ninth but is 1.1s off his teammate's pace.
PBs in all three sectors sees Albon go second, 0.256s down on Verstappen.
Russell goes third as Norris goes quickest in S1. The Briton maintains the pace, crossing the line at 41.223 to go top, 0.504s up on Verstappen.
A big snap for Piastri in Turn 4 causes the Australian to abort the lap. On a subsequent lap he heads down the escape road at Turn 1.
Albon is off at Turn 4. "I think the wind is picking up a lot," he reports.
Antonelli improves to fourth with a 41.922, just ahead of his Mercedes teammate.
From out of nowhere, Alonso goes quickest in S3 but remains 18th. No doubt he got a tow.
Piastri goes second with a 41.538 but is almost immediately leapfrogged by Verstappen who stops the clock at 41.445, 0.222s down on Norris.
Hamilton goes quickest in S1, as Antonelli improve to fourth and Hadjar ninth.
Hamilton crosses the line at 41.499 to go third.
"I'm locking up every corner," says Russell, "I can't attack any corner."
Lawson goes eighth with a 42.146.
Colapinto has been noted for a yellow flag infringement.
As Norris heads down the escape road at Turn 1, his teammate goes third with a 41.477.
A late improvement for Russell who goes sixth, just down on his teammate.
Hulkenberg is concerned at his seat mount.
Again, an intriguing session, and one which poses far more questions than answers.
Norris is quickest, ahead of Verstappen, Piastri, Hamilton, Antonelli, Russell, Albon, Bearman, Lawson and Leclerc.
Hadjar is eleventh, ahead of Hulkenberg, Sainz, Alonso, Colapinto, Tsunoda, Ocon, Bortoleto, Gasly and Stroll.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Baku here.
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