The European leg of the 2024 season is completed and F1 heads to Azerbaijan for the seventeenth round of the championship this weekend.
The Baku City Circuit in Azerbaijan is one of the most exciting and unpredictable tracks on the Formula 1 calendar. Its unique layout, set against the backdrop of Baku’s historical and modern cityscape, combines both technical and high-speed challenges.
The 6.003 km street circuit features 20 corners and is characterised by long straights, such as the 2.2 km stretch along the main straight, where cars can reach speeds of over 350 km/h. However, it’s not just about speed—drivers must also tackle tight corners, particularly around Turn 8, which passes through the narrow streets of the Old City.
This requires precision, skill, and a finely tuned balance between low drag for the straights and enough downforce to navigate the slower, technical sections. Teams also face the added pressure of managing tire wear and braking stability on Baku’s variable surface.
Over the years, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix has delivered some of the most memorable and chaotic moments in recent F1 history. In 2017, the race saw a dramatic clash between championship rivals Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. During a safety car period, Vettel believed Hamilton brake-checked him and retaliated by swerving into Hamilton’s car—an incident that earned Vettel a penalty and ignited their fierce title rivalry. In 2018, Red Bull teammates Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen collided spectacularly while battling for position, ending both of their races and prompting a tense fallout within the team.
Baku’s unpredictability continued in 2021 when Max Verstappen suffered a shocking tyre failure while leading the race, crashing out just a few laps from victory. At the restart, Lewis Hamilton made an uncharacteristic mistake, accidentally switching off his brakes, which allowed Checo Pérez to claim his second career win. These moments underscore Baku’s reputation for high-speed chaos, where even the fastest car isn’t always guaranteed to win.
Looking ahead to this year’s race, Ferrari could perform well, given their strong showing on street circuits in 2024. The Baku circuit’s demands on low-speed cornering and acceleration may play to Ferrari’s strengths, making them a potential dark horse. However, McLaren enters the weekend as the clear favourite, with both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri showing impressive form in recent races. McLaren’s resurgence in 2024 has placed them firmly in title contention, but having the fastest car doesn’t always translate into a race win, as shown at Monza.
To secure consistent results, McLaren must establish a clear pecking order between Norris and Piastri. Both drivers have performed exceptionally well, but indecision over
leadership could derail their title bids. McLaren’s 2007 season, where internal conflict between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso cost them the championship, serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of failing to prioritize one driver. In 2024, McLaren management cannot afford to repeat that mistake if they want to challenge for both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles.
Red Bull currently lead the constructor’s standings by only eight points from McLaren. Verstappen enjoys a more comfortable lead of 62 points over Lando Norris.
