BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 24. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix of Formula 1 kicks off today, with Baku hosting the race for the 10th time.
The race weekend will begin at 10:45 with a Formula 2 free practice session. The first Formula 1 free practice session will start at 12:30.
This will be followed by two Formula 2 qualifying sessions. The first day of racing will conclude with the second Formula 1 free practice session.
On September 25, Formula 1 free practice sessions and the Formula 2 sprint race will take place. Finally, the main race will be held on the final day, September 26.
Twenty drivers representing 10 teams will compete for the title, while the race track is 6 kilometers long. The Baku City Circuit (BCC) will host some of the world's most renowned drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and others.
The Baku circuit, considered one of the longest on the Formula 1 calendar, features 20 turns. Starting from Azadliq Square, the track runs around the Government House, then circles Icherisheher before making a 2.2-kilometer loop to the Maiden Tower and returning to the starting point via Neftchilar Avenue. The track, which consists of 51 laps, is 13 meters wide at its widest point and 7.6 meters at its narrowest, in sections around Icherisheher, including Turns 7 and 8. The counterclockwise circuit was designed by renowned German architect Hermann Tilke.
During the race, drivers and millions of television viewers will witness a spectacular panorama combining Icherisheher, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the capital's modern architectural landmarks and the Caspian Sea waterfront.
The race's start and finish lines are located on Azadliq Square. The Paddock Club, team garages and pit lane are also situated here.
This year, a new grandstand called City has been installed at the BCC. Located opposite the Azerbaijan State Academic Musical Theatre, it can accommodate 678 spectators. With the opening of the new grandstand, the total seating capacity of the grandstands at the BCC has exceeded 21,000.
Azerbaijan has hosted the world's most prestigious motorsport competition since 2016. The first Formula 1 race organized in the country was called the European Grand Prix. It was won by German driver Nico Rosberg. In subsequent years, Daniel Ricciardo (Australia), Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom), Valtteri Bottas (Finland), Sergio Perez (Mexico), Max Verstappen (Netherlands) and Oscar Piastri (Australia) respectively took the top step of the podium. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was not held only in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
