WATCH: Max Verstappen's cat like reflexes to avoid a high speed collision during FP2 at Baku

Max Verstappen experienced a nerve-racking moment during FP2 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, narrowly avoiding what could have been a disastrous crash. The reigning world champion found himself dangerously close to the wall after a significant lock-up at Turn 5, leaving spectators and commentators gasping in anticipation of a collision.

As Verstappen approached Turn 5, his Red Bull car experienced a dramatic lock-up, sending him careening toward the barriers. In a testament to his impressive car control, Verstappen managed to bring his vehicle to a halt just centimetres from disaster. While the moment was heart-stopping for everyone watching, Verstappen's skilful handling of the situation allowed him to avoid hitting the wall.

Here is the video:

C'était chaud pour Max Verstappen 🥵#AzerbaijanGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/q7vRKNlBOX

— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) September 13, 2024

"It was a close one," a commentator remarked humorously, adding that Verstappen might need "a new pair of underwear" after the near miss. The Baku circuit is notorious for its unforgiving corners and tight barriers, a fact that became even more apparent when Zhou Guanyu soon followed Verstappen’s incident by running off into the escape area to avoid his collision.

Max Verstappen goes fastest!

Despite the scare, Verstappen quickly regained his composure and returned to his dominant form on the track. He posted a time of 1:43.950, falling just 0.079 seconds short of Carlos Sainz, who had set the fastest time of the session on a fresh set of soft tyres. With teams focusing on qualifying runs, the session remained competitive, but Verstappen’s performance reaffirmed his status as a leading contender for the weekend.

As qualifying approaches, Max Verstappen’s ability to stay calm under pressure will be crucial as he seeks to maintain his dominance in the championship race, despite the tricky conditions posed by Baku's challenging circuit. Notably, FP1 had seen almost three red flags earlier today.