Formula 1 drivers and teams are setting up at the Baku City Circuit for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend, marking Round 17 on the calendar.<\/p>\n
Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 will take place on Friday, September 19, followed by Free Practice 3 and Qualifying on Saturday, September 20 and the Grand Prix itself on Sunday, September 21.<\/p>\n
The driver\u2019s verdict<\/p>\n
Jolyon Palmer, former Renault F1 driver: A long lap \u2013 there\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s something to watch for in Qualifying, but out-laps are also important; the track surface isn\u2019t so abrasive, so with a slow out-lap you could fail to warm up the tyres and lock up into Turn 1.<\/p>\n
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\u2019re accelerating towards the end of the lap.<\/p>\n
Turn 15 is an unsighted left-hander in which you\u2019re braking slightly to the right, then you\u2019ve got to slow it down and not get into the run-off area, and avoid the looming walls in the process.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s all about the braking and, like at any street circuit, there\u2019s plenty of time to be gained if you can carry sufficient speed out of the apex \u2013 just don\u2019t get greedy with the apex and clout the wall.<\/p>\n
Tyre and strategy insight<\/p>\n
\u201cOn a street circuit with low levels of grip and wear, bringing the same selection as in 2024 would inevitably have led to a one-stop strategy,\u201d reads Pirelli\u2019s preview.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt least this way, considering that this year\u2019s range suffers much less from graining, it opens up the possibility of a two-stop strategy.<\/p>\n
\u201cMoreover, it is clear that this year, most recently at Monza, the teams and drivers have become adept at managing the tyres well, so that the race is unlikely to see very different strategies.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough it\u2019s a street track, Baku has some very long straights \u2013 where the cars hit very high top speeds \u2013 that place significant vertical loads on the tyres.\u201d<\/p>\n
Current form<\/p>\n
For the first time since the Austrian Grand Prix back in June, championship leaders McLaren are heading into a weekend aiming to return to winning ways \u2013 following on from Max Verstappen and the resurgent Red Bull\u2019s<\/a> impressive triumph at Monza last time out.<\/p>\n Might we see another head-to-head between the Dutchman and the papaya cars at the Baku City Circuit? Can Charles Leclerc give Ferrari something to celebrate by making it five straight poles on Azerbaijan\u2019s streets? And what about Mercedes\u2019 chances of getting back in the mix?<\/p>\n Given the unique demands of this track, and the fine margins at play so far this season, it will be a fascinating three days of action as those questions are answered.<\/p>\n