NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

The 2026 Formula 1 season continues this weekend as Baku hosts Round 15 on the calendar, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Free Practice 1 and 2 will take place on Thursday, September 24, followed by Free Practice 3 and Qualifying on Friday, September 25, and the Grand Prix itself on Saturday, September 26.

Vital statistics

• First Grand Prix – 2017 (2016 as the European Grand Prix)
• Track Length – 6.003km
• Lap record – 1m 43.009s, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 2019
• Most pole positions – Charles Leclerc (4)
• Most wins – Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen (2)
• Trivia – At its narrowest point (the Turn 8/9 ‘Old Town’ complex), the circuit is just 7.6 metres wide
• Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 111 metres (shortest on the calendar)
• Overtakes completed in 2025 – 55
• Safety Car probability – 67%*
• Virtual Safety Car probability – 50%*
• Pit stop time loss – 19.27 seconds (including 2.5s stationary)

*From the previous six races in Azerbaijan

The driver’s verdict

Jolyon Palmer, former Renault F1 driver: A long lap – there’s so much to put together in Baku, with lengthy straights and big braking zones in the first sector, before a winding second sector and a tough third sector.

Braking for Turn 1 is tricky; the corner comes quickly after the start-finish line, but it somehow seems to take such a long time to get there from the final turn. With some slipstream, whether you luck into it or orchestrate it, you can gain a huge amount of time.

That’s something to watch for in Qualifying, but out-laps are also important; the track surface isn’t so abrasive, so with a slow out-lap you could fail to warm up the tyres and lock up into Turn 1.

The notorious castle section in the middle of the track is narrow and a place where accidents can easily happen, but the trickiest corner is probably Turn 15, where you’re accelerating towards the end of the lap.

Turn 15 is an unsighted left-hander in which you’re braking slightly to the right, then you’ve got to slow it down and not get into the run-off area, and avoid the looming walls in the process.

It’s all about the braking and, like at any street circuit, there’s plenty of time to be gained if you can carry sufficient speed out of the apex – just don’t get greedy with the apex and clout the wall.

Last five Azerbaijan GP polesitters

• 2025 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• 2024 – Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
• 2023 – Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
• 2022 – Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
• 2021 – Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

Last five Azerbaijan GP winners

• 2025 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• 2024 – Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
• 2023 – Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
• 2022 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• 2021 – Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

Tyre and strategy insight

“Some of the city streets that make up the circuit have been resurfaced,” reads Pirelli’s weekend preview for the event, for which the compounds available will be the C3 (as the hard), C4 (as the medium) and C5 (as the soft).

“The work has affected sections of Turns 2, 3 and 4. The new asphalt, limited to specific areas, should not influence tyre behaviour which, as is often the case on street circuits, will initially be affected by rather low grip levels.

“Track evolution over the course of the weekend is instead expected to be significant, thanks to the progressive build-up of rubber on the surface.

“The asphalt, which is relatively smooth and not very abrasive, should result in very low levels of wear and degradation, making a one-stop race the most likely scenario. The C5 could prove capable of delivering particularly long stints, as seen recently at Monza, a circuit that shares some characteristics with Baku. By contrast, the hard compound could be overlooked by many teams in the race.

“Some graining may occur, particularly during the opening sessions when grip levels are still low, but it is not expected to be a decisive factor in terms of performance.

“One of the most interesting tyre-related aspects will be temperature management. The very long full-throttle section linking the final corner to the first promotes tyre cooling, aided by developments in wheel rim design. This phenomenon could increase the risk of lock-ups under heavy braking, particularly on the front axle.

“Ambient temperatures could also help keep tyre overheating under control. Despite the generally warm climate, the buildings lining the circuit create numerous shaded areas, limiting any rise in track temperature.”

Current form

Kimi Antonelli has long been at the top of the drivers’ standings – and the Mercedes racer arrives into Round 15 of the championship with an even stronger lead, his advantage over closest challenger George Russell now standing at 81 points.

The Italian also appears to hold the momentum in terms of wins, having scored back-to-back victories across the recent double header of Italy and Spain. Can he claim another triumph in Baku and extend his lead further?

McLaren’s Lando Norris took two consecutive wins himself not so long ago in Hungary and the Netherlands – but the reigning World Champion lost out on a potential third victory of the campaign in Madrid when the timing of a Virtual Safety Car did not go in his favour.

Despite this, the Briton admitted that there were “only positives” to take from the weekend given the pace of the MCL40. It will be fascinating to see if Norris and the papaya squad can carry that promise forward to Baku.

Elsewhere, Ferrari experienced mixed fortunes in Madrid after a brake issue forced Lewis Hamilton to retire while Charles Leclerc had a good run to fourth. Max Verstappen, meanwhile, extracted everything from the Red Bull to claim his second consecutive podium finish – but how will each team fare this weekend?

In the midfield battle, Alpine closed the gap to Racing Bulls last time out as they fight for P5 in the Teams’ Championship, Audi added to their tally with a point for Nico Hulkenberg as they chase Haas for P7, while ninth-placed Williams will be hoping that their much-anticipated Baku upgrade package helps them to take a step forward.

Iconic moment

Azerbaijan has played host to some action-packed, drama-filled races since the country arrived on the F1 calendar 10 years ago, with the high-speed Baku venue and its fearsome concrete walls catching out plenty of drivers.

But one moment that remains in the memory for another reason is Daniel Ricciardo’s incredible overtaking display during the 2017 encounter, the highlight of which was a three-car pass down the main straight and into Turn 1.

Running behind Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg and the Williams cars of Felipe Massa and Lance Stroll, the Australian used the slipstream to perfection before slamming on the brakes at the last moment and somehow keeping it out of the wall.

Watch Ricciardo’s stunning move in the video player below.