The Baku City Circuit is a street circuit located in the capital of Azerbaijan. Since 2016, it has been a regular fixture in the Formula 1 calendar, with the circuit design credited to Hermann Tilke.
From the European Grand Prix to the GP Azerbaijan
In its inaugural season, the circuit hosted the European Grand Prix. However, since 2017, the race has been known as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The circuit, measuring six kilometers and three meters in length, features 20 turns and is 13 meters wide at its broadest point. The track also includes an extremely narrow section that winds through the old city center. The part that runs along the ancient twelfth-century city walls is particularly renowned, especially due to Charles Leclerc’s crash in 2019. Two years later, the Monegasque driver crashed his car into the same TecPro barrier, albeit with less damage this time.
High-Speed Challenges on the Baku Circuit
Unlike street circuits like Monaco and Singapore, which never rank high on top speed charts, the Baku circuit is known for its high-speed straight stretch along the boulevard. From turn 16, drivers go full throttle for more than two kilometers, resulting in extremely high speeds. The challenge for the teams is to find a good balance in the setup between the slow section in the old city and the fast stretch towards the start-finish line.
Recent Races and Winners at the Baku City Circuit
The race was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it returned to the calendar a year later. The 2022 edition saw Max Verstappen claim his first victory at the circuit. In the 2023 season, the race was run according to the sprint race format. Sergio Pérez won the race in 2023, marking his second victory in Baku after his 2021 win. This makes him the first driver to win twice on this circuit.
Key Facts about the Azerbaijan Grand Prix:
- Inauguration: 2016
- First F1 race: 2016
- Location: Baku
- Length: 6.003 km
- Number of turns: 20
- Most victories: Sergio Pérez (2)
- Lap record: Charles Leclerc (1:43.009 in 2019)
List of Azerbaijan Grand Prix Winners:
- 2023: Sergio Pérez
- 2022: Max Verstappen
- 2021: Sergio Pérez
- 2019: Valtteri Bottas
- 2018: Lewis Hamilton
- 2017: Daniel Ricciardo
The Grand Prix was not held in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Chaos of 2017
The 2017 race in Baku was marked by chaos. The race was filled with controversy between Hamilton and Vettel, a winner from the tenth position, and a new name on the podium. The race seemed to be another victory for Lewis Hamilton, who was dominating the sport at the time. Sebastian Vettel was eager to put an end to this dominance. During a safety car period, Vettel rear-ended Hamilton, which greatly frustrated the German, leading him to give Hamilton a nudge with his right front wheel. This fight ultimately led to the victory going to someone else, namely Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian fought his way forward impressively from the tenth position and won the race.
