Lewis Hamilton will start as the favourite to clinch pole position for Formula One's inaugural race in Azerbaijan after completing a practice hat-trick.
Hamilton, comfortably fastest in both sessions on Friday, posted a best lap of one minute and 44.352 seconds on Saturday to finish a quarter-of-a-second clear of his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg at the 3.7-mile Baku Street Circuit.
But while it was business as usual for Hamilton at the top of the order, doubts over the safety of the temporary track will be raised once more after a loose drain cover pierced a hole through Valtteri Bottas' Williams. Bottas dislodged the drain in the pit lane, and was unable to complete any further running due to the damage sustained to his car.
A number of leading drivers, including 2009 world champion Jenson Button and championship leader Rosberg, have already expressed their safety fears over a street track which is being billed as the fastest in Formula One.
And overnight, track marshals took to the circuit to remove some of the kerbs, which had worked loose during practice on Friday. They also repainted the entry line for the high-speed pit lane.
Back on track, and Sergio Perez became the second driver to crash into the wall this weekend. Just as with Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo on Friday, the Mexican lost control of his Force India at turn 15.
The red flags were immediately deployed, and following the significant damage Perez sustained to the right rear of his car in the crash, his participation in qualifying now appears in doubt.
Ricciardo was fourth fastest in final practice for the European Grand Prix, albeit 1.2 seconds slower than Hamilton, with German duo Nico Hulkenberg and Sebastian Vettel either side of him in third and fifth respectively. Button was eighth, with British rookie Jolyon Palmer 18th.
On Friday night, Hamilton criticised his fellow drivers for moaning too much following criticism of the new Baku track.
And speaking ahead of practice, Bernie Ecclestone, the sport's chief executive, sided with the world champion. "I think he is right," said Ecclestone. "If they don't want to drive, they don't have to. It is up to them."
Source: PA
