The fifth ever Azerbaijan GP takes place this weekend at the Baku City Circuit, which is the third longest F1 track on the calendar.
Baku hosted it’s first ever race in 2016 in the form of the European Grand Prix. Since 2017, the same venue has hosted the Azerbaijan GP, with the only exception coming in 2020 when the race was cancelled due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
Baku is a street circuit, and features a very unique layout. It has a the narrow walls and twisty turvy layout of a traditional street circuit, but also features very long straights, where cars can reach speeds of more than 320 kmph.
Last year’s Azerbaijan GP was a classic race, which saw Sergio Perez win his first race with Red Bull. Sebastian Vettel took P2 in what Aston Martin’s first ever F1 podium, and AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly held of pole-sitter Charles Leclerc in the final lap to take P3.
Coming into this year’s race, Ferrari and Red Bull seem like favorites once again. Leclerc, Perez and the latter’s teammate Max Verstappen are narrowly separated at the top of the Championship Standings, and it promises to be a close encounter.
Baku Street Circuit and race length this weekend:
The Baku City Circuit is the third longest race in the F1 calendar (after Spa and Jeddah). A complete lap of the circuit is 3.730 miles (6.003 km). There have been no changes in layout since the first ever race in the city. Sunday’s race will feature a total of 51 laps.
There has been some criticism regarding the third sector of this track. 2016 Champion Nico Rosberg questioned the pit entry location, which is adjacent to the 220 mph main straight. He called it “one of the places I always found the most dangerous of the whole year.”
Former F1 race director Michael Masi however, dismissed these concerns. The Aussie insisted that the pit lane entry met FIA’s safety regulations, and was hence not dangerous.
Azerbaijan GP lap records:
The only cars to race around the Baku City Circuit have been F1, F2 and GP2 cars. There has not been any change in layout for this street track either. Charles Leclerc holds the record for the fastest lap time, not just in Formula 1, but F2 as well. Meanwhile, former Alfa Romeo driver holds the record for the fastest time in the GP2 series.
| Name of Driver | Lap Time | F1 Car | Race | |
| Formula 1 | Charles Leclerc | 01:43.0 | Ferrari SF90 | 2019 Azerbaijan GP |
| Formula 2 | Charles Leclerc | 01:53.6 | Dallara GP2/11 | 2017 Baku Formula 2 round |
| GP 2 | Antonio Giovinazzi | 01:54.8 | Dallara GP2/11 | 2016 Baku GP2 series round |
Azerbaijan Grand Prix past winners:
Baku has never seen a repeat winner, in it’s previous five installments. We’ve also had different pole sitters, and different drivers having the fastest lap at the Azerbaijan GP! The very first race in Baku was won by Mercedes’ Rosberg, and last year it was Sergio Perez who won the outing.
Winners from the previous races in Baku:
2021: Sergio Perez
2019: Valtteri Bottas
2018: Lewis Hamilton
2017: Daniel Ricciardo
2016: Nico Rosberg
