- Round 17 of the 2024 Formula 1 season kicks off this weekend in Azerbaijan on the Caspian Sea
- The race is held on the 3.7-mile Baku City Circuit
- Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Williams’ Franco Colapinto crashed during practice
The 17th round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship takes place this weekend in Baku, home of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The race is the final European leg of the calendar and its unique location, the Baku City Circuitwhich makes it one of the most popular among fans.
The Hermann Tilke-designed street circuit stretches over 3.7 miles and features the main features of a 1.3 mile straight and a long pit lining the edge of the Caspian Sea, along with some hairpin bends in the historic city centre of Baku. Drivers change gears 64 times, or more than at any other circuit on the calendar.
The Baku City Circuit can be described as a mix of Monaco and Monza, because the track section in the narrow maze of streets of the old city is similar to that of the principality, while the long straights and hard braking zones are not unlike what is found in Temple of Speed in the Royal Park of Monza. No track on the calendar has more braking zones of over two g.
Baku City Circuit, home of the Azerbaijan Formula 1 Grand Prix
Downforce levels are among the lowest of the season, but Baku lacks the high-speed corners to put energy into the tyres. The challenge for teams is to reduce as much downforce as possible, while ensuring the tyres are worked hard enough to remain at optimum temperatures. Pirelli has named its three softest compounds C3, C4 and C5.
The weather forecast predicts good conditions for Saturday’s qualifying session and Sunday’s race. The maximum temperature will be around 80 degrees F.
A training session on Friday saw some drama with both Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Williams rookie Franco Colapinto breaking.
Going into the weekend, Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen leads the 2024 Drivers’ Championship with 303 points. McLaren’s Lando Norris is second with 241 points and Leclerc is third with 217 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull leads with 446 points. McLaren is second with 438 points and Ferrari is third with 407 points. Last year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix winner was Sergio Perez, driving for Red Bull.