Since Formula 1 first arrived in Azerbaijan in 2016, racing on the streets of Baku has produced victories, records and dramatic moments that have become part of the championship's history.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the Baku City Circuit Operations Company has published a feature ahead of the 10th Formula 1 race in Azerbaijan, highlighting five drivers who have left a particularly significant mark on the event.
Nico Rosberg – Formula 1's first winner in Baku
Nico Rosberg holds a special place in Baku's Formula 1 history as the winner of the inaugural race in the Azerbaijani capital in 2016.
The German secured pole position, led every lap, set the fastest lap and crossed the finish line first to complete the second Grand Slam of his career.
Rosberg made his Formula 1 debut at the 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix. He raced for Williams from 2006 to 2009 before joining Mercedes, where he competed from 2010 until 2016.
Later that year, Rosberg finished second at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to beat Lewis Hamilton to the world championship by just five points. Only five days after securing his first Formula 1 title, he announced his retirement from the sport.
Max Verstappen – A difficult start followed by Baku success
Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen had to wait until his sixth attempt to win in Baku.
The Dutchman, who had raced at the Baku City Circuit since 2016, finally claimed his first victory there in 2022.
Verstappen won again in 2025, when he took pole position, set the fastest lap and led every lap to complete a Grand Slam.
His Baku career has also featured plenty of drama. In 2018, Verstappen collided with Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo, forcing both drivers to retire. In 2021, he was leading with only a few laps remaining when a tyre failure ended his race and cost him a potential victory.
Verstappen made his Formula 1 debut in 2015 and became the youngest race winner in the championship's history when he won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix at the age of 18.
Lewis Hamilton – Victory and drama on the streets of Baku
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has won only once in nine Formula 1 races in Baku.
He came close to victory in 2017 after starting from pole and leading the race, but a technical issue forced him into the pits and ended his hopes of winning.
Hamilton returned a year later to claim victory at the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He reached the podium again in 2019, finishing second.
The British driver made his Formula 1 debut in 2007 and narrowly missed out on the championship by a single point in his rookie season. He has since won seven world titles.
Hamilton's famous No. 44 dates back to his karting days. When he began racing at the age of eight, he chose the number from his father's car registration plate and later kept it in Formula 1.
Now racing for Ferrari, Hamilton enters a new chapter of his Baku story and will attempt to add another strong result on the streets of the Azerbaijani capital.
Charles Leclerc – Baku's pole position record holder
Charles Leclerc holds the record for the most consecutive pole positions at the Baku City Circuit.
The Ferrari driver started the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from pole four years in a row, from 2021 through 2024, a feat no other driver has achieved in Baku.
However, Leclerc is still searching for his first Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory. His best result came in 2024, when he finished second.
Leclerc made his Formula 1 debut in 2018 and finished sixth in Baku with Sauber that season. After joining Ferrari, he set the fastest lap of the 2019 race with a time of 1:43.009, which remains the official Baku City Circuit lap record.
The key question for 2026 is whether Leclerc can finally convert his strong qualifying record in Azerbaijan into victory.
Sergio Perez – The "King of Baku"
Sergio "Checo" Perez has enjoyed a particularly successful relationship with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The Mexican won in Baku in 2021 and 2023 and has stood on the podium five times in total.
Perez is the only driver to have achieved five podium finishes at the Baku City Circuit, performances that have earned him the unofficial nickname "King of Baku".
He made his Formula 1 debut with Sauber in 2011. Two of his six career victories have come in Azerbaijan, and Baku remains the only Formula 1 event he has won more than once.
Perez returns to Azerbaijan in 2026 in very different circumstances. After a year away from Formula 1, he is back on the grid with the new Cadillac team and will once again race at one of his most successful circuits.
10th anniversary race
Over a decade of Formula 1 in Azerbaijan, the Baku City Circuit has provided the stage for memorable victories and dramatic incidents involving some of the sport's biggest names.
From Rosberg's historic inaugural triumph and Hamilton's victory to Perez's remarkable record, Leclerc's qualifying achievements and Verstappen's two wins, each has written a different chapter in Baku's Formula 1 story.
The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will mark the 10th Formula 1 race in Baku and add another chapter to that history.
