F1 practice in Azerbaijan disrupted by loose drain cover

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — A loose drain cover disrupted the Azerbaijan Grand Prix’s first practice session, which had to be abandoned Friday after only two cars had set a time.

George Russell was traveling at high speed when his Williams car hit the loose drain cover. The impact scattered fragments of the car’s floor across the track and forced Russell to stop.

Things got worse for Russell’s car when it was being taken back to the pits. The truck carrying it hit a bridge and fluid from its damaged crane flowed onto Russell’s engine cover.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc set the fastest time of the brief session in 1 minute, 47.497 seconds.