Welcome to Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. One of the most stunning street circuits on the calendar that also guarantees exciting racing thanks to its narrow, twisty turns and wide, and very long, straights. It promises to deliver a fantastic race!
It has been a fantastic circuit for the Bulls, Checo is the most successful driver at the track claiming two wins (three if you include last year’s Sprint Race) and the Team has won here four times in total, including two one-two finishes. There have been some low points as well. For example, when Max and Daniel took each other out in 2018 and then in 2021 when Max’s rear tyre spectacularly failed when he was leading with just five laps to go.
The Baku City Circuit consists of 20 turns (12 left-handers and eight right) with some slow 90-degree corners and the longest flat-out straight on the calendar at just over 2km. The drivers love racing at the circuit, but it requires full concentration as chaos reigns from the start. Drivers are flat-out as they head into turn one, which is a 90-degree corner with cold brakes, providing all the ingredients for an exciting start to the race.
The castle section of the circuit can also be a challenge for the drivers. It’s so narrow and can feel like racing a bus through a carpark. There is no room for error. If a driver takes the corner even slightly off-line, they can find themselves in the wall.
All this makes for a thrill-ride of a race, and you’ll be able to see the Bulls on track on Friday for Free Practice 1 at 13:30 track time (09:30 UTC). Be sure to come back here to the Race Hub for exclusive interviews, videos and reports from the track.
