Azerbaijan F1: Where The Action Takes Place

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is a Formula One motor racing event held in Baku, Azerbaijan. The race takes place on the Baku City Circuit, a street circuit in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The first Azerbaijan Grand Prix was held in 2017, with the race previously having been known as the European Grand Prix, which first took place in Baku in 2016. The 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was held on 15 September and was won by Oscar Piastri of McLaren, with Charles Leclerc of Ferrari taking second place. The race is scheduled to take place in Baku until at least 2026.

The 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was held on 15 September

The race was won by Oscar Piastri of McLaren, who took his second career win. Piastri beat Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, who took pole position for the event for the fourth year in a row, by 10.91 seconds. George Russell of Mercedes came in third, inheriting the final podium slot after Leclerc's teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. and Red Bull Racing's Sergio Pérez both crashed out on the penultimate lap. Lando Norris of McLaren recovered from a fifteenth-place start to finish fourth and take the fastest lap, one position over championship rival Max Verstappen.

The 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was the eighth time the Baku City Circuit had hosted the race. The first Azerbaijan Grand Prix was held in 2017, with previous editions running during the first half of the season between April and June. The 2024 race was the first to be held in September, with the Japanese Grand Prix moving to April. This move was part of Formula One's regionalisation efforts, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix becoming the first round after the European races.

The Baku City Circuit is a street circuit located on the western shores of the Caspian Sea in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The city offers a fascinating mix of culture, history, and striking modern architecture. The circuit has hosted Formula One races since 2016, when it held the European Grand Prix.

Baku City Circuit: the venue for the Azerbaijan F1

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is held at the Baku City Circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan. The circuit is a street circuit constructed near Baku Boulevard. A lap of the circuit is 6.003 km (3.730 mi) long, making it the fourth-longest circuit on the Formula One calendar. The layout is anti-clockwise and was designed by Hermann Tilke.

The circuit starts adjacent to Azadliq Square, then loops around Government House before heading west along a 1-kilometre straight to the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and Maiden Tower. Here, the track has a narrow 7.6-metre uphill traversal before circling the Old City and opening up onto a 2.2-kilometre stretch along Neftchilar Avenue back to the start line.

The Baku City Circuit is known for its mixture of long straights and slow, technical sections, with no room for error due to the proximity of the walls. The main straight is particularly notable, with cars reaching speeds of up to 350 km/h (220 mph). The pit lane entrance is also located adjacent to this straight, which has been criticised as dangerous by some.

The circuit first hosted the Formula One European Grand Prix in 2016, followed by the inaugural Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2017. The race typically takes place in the first half of the Formula One season, between April and June, but in 2024 it was moved to September as part of Formula One's regionalisation efforts.

Oscar Piastri won the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Piastri, driving for McLaren, beat Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to the win, with Leclerc taking second place. The race was full of drama, with Leclerc taking pole position for the event for the fourth year in a row but ultimately losing out to Piastri. The race also saw a collision between Leclerc's teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. and Red Bull Racing's Sergio Pérez on the penultimate lap, taking them both out of the race.

Piastri's win was his second in Formula One and was described as "one of the best drives" of his career. He started the race in second place and took the lead from Leclerc on lap 20, making a brave move to dive down the inside of the race leader. From there, he managed to defend his position for the remaining 30 laps, despite intense pressure from Leclerc.

The win was also significant for McLaren, as it put them in the lead of the Constructors' Championship for the first time since the 2014 Australian Grand Prix. It was a remarkable turnaround for the team, who had been struggling in the previous years.

The 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was a thrilling race with high-speed crashes, strategic pit stops, and intense battles for position. Piastri's skill, composure, and bravery shone through, solidifying his place as a rising star in Formula One.

Charles Leclerc came second in the 2024 race

The 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, officially known as the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Azerbaijan Grand Prix, was held at the Baku City Circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 15 September 2024. It was the seventeenth round of the 2024 Formula One World Championship.

Leclerc's second-place finish in the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix added to his impressive record at the Baku City Circuit. In 2021, 2022, and 2023, he had also secured pole position at this circuit. His performance in 2024 continued a strong streak, despite a challenging start to the 2023 season for Ferrari.

The 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was a significant race for McLaren. With Oscar Piastri's win and Lando Norris's fourth-place finish, McLaren took the lead in the Constructors' Championship, ahead of Red Bull Racing. This marked the first time since the 2014 Australian Grand Prix that McLaren had led the Constructors' Championship.

The Azerbaijan F1 was first held in 2017

The Baku City Circuit is a street circuit, and the 2017 race was one of five held on similar circuits during the 2017 Formula One season, along with the Singapore, Monaco, Australian, and Canadian Grands Prix. The Baku City Circuit had previously hosted the European Grand Prix in 2016, which was the first Formula One Grand Prix to be held in Azerbaijan.

The winner of the first Azerbaijan Grand Prix was Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull, who claimed his fifth career victory. The race was also notable for being the last to feature a red flag until the 2020 Italian Grand Prix.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix has since been held annually, except in 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race was moved to September for the 2024 edition, swapping places with the Japanese Grand Prix as part of Formula One's regionalisation efforts.

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