2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Fast Facts

The final third of the season gets underway in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku, which history recounts was founded by Alexander the Great. The city’s name in Arabic (Bākuh, Bākūh or Bākūyā) is derived from the Persian bād Kūbac, meaning “gust of wind.” It has hosted a Formula 1 Grand Prix every year since 2016 with the exception of 2020. In that first year only, the event went by the name of Grand Prix of Europe, after which it took its name from the country. This year for the first time, the race takes place in September rather than the usual April or June and that will also be the case next year with the aim of achieving a more logistically coherent calendar.

As usual for a street circuit Pirelli has chosen the three softest dry compounds in the range, namely the C3 as Hard, the C4 as Medium and the C5 as Soft. The track is 6.003 kilometres in length and has remained pretty much unchanged since 2016, featuring 20 corners. Some of these, such as the first seven, are practically right angle turns, while others through the old part of the city are very slow and some are flat out, as they are part of a section of track that is treated as a two kilometre straight leading across the start-finish line. The track varies a lot in width, going from only seven metres at turn 8 to being wide enough to accommodate three cars abreast down the main straight.

As the circuit is normally open to city traffic, track evolution will be an important factor to consider when evaluating performance, while the weather can also play its part. Usually, it is quite hot in September, with temperatures definitely higher than those experienced when the race was held in April. Furthermore, track temperature can vary significantly depending on which parts are in sunlight or in the shade from the surrounding buildings, especially in the section that runs through the old city. Last but not least, the wind can upset the car’s handling and, coming from different directions, can catch the drivers unawares, as it is channelled by the surrounding buildings of the town.

The fastest ever top speed by a Formula 1 car in an official event was set in Baku, when Valtteri Bottas was clocked at 378 km/h in his Williams-Mercedes during qualifying for the inaugural event in 2016. The high speeds reached on the main straight will put the tyres to the test, especially with the downforce generated by the current cars. With another section of track requiring the opposite aero set-up, the teams cannot opt to run too low a downforce level as they would then suffer in the slowest part of the track, where they will rely on tyre-generated grip to get the most out of the car. Fortunately, the current Pirelli range has proved to be up to the task of dealing with these extremes of use.

When it comes to strategy, Baku is a typical one-stop race with the hardest tyre doing most of the work. Although a glance at the circuit layout might lead one to believe that overtaking is relatively straightforward, that is not at all the case. Given the hierarchy of the teams this year, with the performance differences within the two main groups being minimal, the effectiveness of DRS could play an important role, as will a team’s ability to react to the unexpected on a track where the chances of the race being neutralised are very high. In 2023, almost all drivers started the race on the Medium before switching to the Hard when the Safety Car came out on lap 11.

Sergio Perez is the only driver to have won here more than once. The Mexican won in Baku in 2021 and 2023, last time out also winning the Sprint, proving he clearly has an affinity for this type of track, as six of his seven Formula 1 wins have come on street circuits. If Checo is the king of Baku, Charles Leclerc can be said to be its prince of poles, as the Monegasque has secured the number one grid slot for the past three years from 2021 to 2023 and last year, he was also fastest in the Sprint Shootout. When it comes to the teams, the roles are reversed with Red Bull having the most wins (four) but no pole positions, while Ferrari has four poles, one of which courtesy of Sebastian Vettel, but it has never won. Indeed, the Italian team has only made it to the podium four times, while Mercedes and Red Bull have each done so on six occasions.

How to Watch the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Formula 1 fans around the globe can catch all the action from the Dutch Grand Prix through various broadcasters and streaming services.

In the United Kingdom, viewers can watch every session live on Sky Sports F1, with comprehensive coverage of the practice sessions, qualifying, and the race itself.

For fans in the United States, the Dutch Grand Prix will be available through ESPN and its associated channels. ESPN offers extensive coverage of F1, including live broadcasts and replays. Cord-cutters can also stream the race live through various over-the-top (OTT) services that carry ESPN channels.

Viewers in Australia can tune in to watch the Grand Prix weekend unfold live on Fox Sports, which offers complete coverage of F1 races. For online streaming, fans can subscribe to Kayo Sports, a streaming platform that includes all Fox Sports content.

Additionally, F1 TV Pro offers live streaming of every track session to viewers in many countries worldwide.

This subscription service provides access to onboard cameras, team radios, live timing, and more, for an immersive viewing experience.

Remember to check the local listings and services for the most up-to-date information regarding broadcast times and availability in your region.

Fast Facts: Azerbaijan Grand Prix

• The Baku City Circuit is the fourth longest on the F1 calendar this year – only Spa, Las Vegas and Jeddah are longer.
• A lap of the track sees drivers change gear 64 times, more than at any other circuit on the 2024 calendar.
• The Baku City Circuit also ranks highest in terms of braking energy. No track on the 2024 calendar has more braking zones of over 2G.
• Given the nature of a street circuit, it is perhaps no surprise that the Safety Car has been deployed five times across the last five races and is often required more than once across a Grand Prix.
• The section from the exit at Turn 16 to the braking zone for Turn 1 is the longest full-throttle passage of the year. It is around 200 metres longer than the segment from Turns 1 to 5 at Spa-Francorchamps.
• The 2.2 km start/finish straight therefore contributes to a very difficult restart for the leader, with a strong tow for the driver behind leaving them vulnerable into Turn 1.
• The name Baku derives from the shortened Persian name Bad-kuye, meaning “wind city”, along with Bad-kube, which means “wind-hitting.” Both terms refer to the famously consistently strong winds that blow through the city.
• Baku hosted an F1 Sprint weekend for the first time in 2023.
• The 2024 event is taking place in September for the first time, having previously taken place in the first half of the season (April or May).
• F1 first visited Baku in 2016, when the race was known as the European Grand Prix. It has been known as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix every year since.
• The Mercedes team has recorded three wins in Baku with three different drivers – Nico Rosberg (2016), Lewis Hamilton (2018), and Valtteri Bottas (2019).
• Oracle Red Bull Racing has won the last three races in Baku and have achieved a 1-2 finish in the last two editions.
• No F1 driver has won more races in Baku than Sergio Perez, with two victories around the Baku City Circuit.
• Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have led more laps, 72 and 64 respectively, than any other driver in Azerbaijan Grand Prix history.
• The Azerbaijan GP will be the 100th race of the decade, with Oracle Red Bull Racing winning 56 of the 99 races in the 2020s.

Azerbaijan Grand Prix – FAQs

Below are the answers to some frequently asked questions about the Azerbaijan Grand Prix…