Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Preview

Azerbaijan joined Formula 1’s calendar in 2016 with a city-based event navigating the markedly different districts of capital Baku, where West and East meet adjacent to the Caspian Sea. 

Baku sits as the lowest capital city in the world, at 28 meters below sea level, and has a history that stretches back a thousand years. That is reflected in the layout of its Formula 1 circuit, which winds its way alongside preserved ruins of the Old City, glass-fronted skyscrapers, and architecture from various periods that reflects Baku’s cultural legacy. 

The first sector of Baku City Circuit comprises lengthy straights punctuated by heavy braking zones and 90-degree corners, before a second sector that incorporates tight and twisty turns mixed with blind high-speed segments. That includes the notorious turn 8, at just 7.6 meters wide, where part of the fortress walls doubles up as an apex. 

The final sector is almost entirely full throttle as drivers hurtle along one of Baku’s main thoroughfares at speeds approaching 360km/h, where the effect of a slipstream can be very profitable. Baku’s varying demands means a compromised set-up is required, as teams strive to maximize both aerodynamic prowess and straight-line speed, while ensuring tires and brakes are kept in their optimum operating windows. 

Haas F1 Team racers Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher both have prior experience of the Baku City Circuit. Magnussen has started four grands prix in Azerbaijan, classifying seventh in 2017 with Haas F1 Team, while Schumacher completed the 2021 event, having also run Formula 2 in 2019. 

Guenther Steiner – Team Principal of Haas F1 Team

With the Azerbaijan and Canadian events running on back-to-back weekends in June – it highlights the need for a regional calendar as being proposed currently by F1 for 2023 onwards. What are the main challenges of this kind of back-to-back and what are your thoughts on F1’s calendar plans for next season?

“The challenges are that you go from one continent to another, it’s a long trip and the team is working very hard to get it all done. It’s just down to having a good team around and working hard but it’s a challenge as they only have a few days to get set-up again and get going again for the next race. If you have any damage on the car, it gets more difficult so we’re hoping to not have any damage in Baku. On the plans for next season, it would be great if we can combine the races regionally. I know that Stefano is working very hard on that one and it will go in the right direction next year.”

 

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is establishing itself as a fixture on the F1 calendar – what were your first impressions of the event and its place on the schedule? 

“My first impression was that I was surprised how nice the city and track is, not having known Baku before at all – because it wasn’t on my list of places to go. I think the track has a place in the future in Formula 1.”

The Baku City Circuit is notorious for fusing together the tight twisty sections through the older parts of the city with the long fast main straight – often the scene of drama as witnessed over the years. Where does the balance lie in setting up the VF-22 for this type of circuit and do you think it will play to the strengths of the car based on what you’ve seen so-far this season?

“Obviously the circuit is split as you say in two elements – very fast and very twisty. I think with our car, we made good progress in Spain with the set-up of the car and it’s doing well in all circumstances at the moment. We need to hit the sweet spot on the set-up and I think we can have a good result like we were going to have in Spain and Monte Carlo if things had gone differently. I’m really looking forward to going racing again this weekend.”