Today, the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix begins in Baku, marking the ninth time the race is being held in the Azerbaijani capital.
The first day of the race weekend, on Friday, will feature two free practice sessions. The program also includes test runs and qualifying in the Formula 2 category, Idman.biz reports.
The Baku City Circuit, with a length of 306.049 km, features 20 turns, and the race consists of 51 laps. The first Formula 1 race in Baku was held in 2016 under the name European Grand Prix, and since 2017 it has been staged as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Over the years, winners of the Baku stage have included Nico Rosberg (Germany), Daniel Ricciardo (Australia), Lewis Hamilton (UK), Valtteri Bottas (Finland), Sergio Perez (Mexico), and Max Verstappen (Netherlands). In 2023, Perez won here for the second time, while in 2024 Oscar Piastri of McLaren claimed victory. The race was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the past four years, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has secured pole position in qualifying.
Heading into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri (McLaren) leads the drivers’ standings with 324 points. His teammate Lando Norris is second with 293, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is third with 230. In the Constructors’ Championship, McLaren holds a commanding lead with 617 points, followed by Ferrari (280) and Mercedes (260).
Program for the first day of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix:
10:00 – Formula 2: Free Practice
12:30 – Formula 1: First Free Practice
14:30 – Formula 2: Qualifying
17:00 – Formula 1: Second Free Practice
Idman.biz
