About the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is one of Formula 1’s most distinctive street races, held on the Baku City Circuit around the Caspian Sea waterfront and the UNESCO-listed Old City. The event first appeared on the World Championship calendar in 2016 as the European Grand Prix, then took the Azerbaijan Grand Prix name from 2017. It has quickly become known for high-speed slipstreaming, narrow castle-section walls and race weekends that rarely follow the script.

The Baku layout mixes two very different challenges. Drivers thread a tight, uphill section past the Maiden Tower and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs before exploding onto a 2.2 km blast along Neftchilar Avenue, one of the longest flat-out stretches in Formula 1. Cars can approach 360 km/h on that straight, then stand on the brakes for Turn 1. With 20 corners, low grip street asphalt and two DRS zones, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix rewards both commitment and opportunism.

Azerbaijan Grand Prix Fast Facts

First held (in current format)	2016 (as European GP; Azerbaijan GP from 2017)
Circuit	Baku City Circuit
Location	Baku, Azerbaijan
Number of laps	51
Circuit length	6.003 km
Race distance	306.049 km
Lap record (race)	1:43.009 – Charles Leclerc (2019)
Most wins (driver)	Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen – 2
Top speed	~ 360 km/h (224 mph)

Azerbaijan GP Info

• Where to Watch Azerbaijan GP
• Baku Track Guide
• Azerbaijan GP Weather
• Azerbaijan GP 2026 Betting
• Azerbaijan GP Race Preview

Azerbaijan GP Past Winners

Year	Winner	Team
2025	Max Verstappen	Red Bull
2024	Oscar Piastri	McLaren
2023	Sergio Perez	Red Bull
2022	Max Verstappen	Red Bull
2021	Sergio Perez	Red Bull
2019	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes
2018	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
2017	Daniel Ricciardo	Red Bull
2016	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes

Baku City Circuit

The Baku City Circuit is a temporary street track laid out through Azerbaijan’s capital, running from Azadliq Square and Government House into the medieval Old City before a 2.2 km blast along the Caspian waterfront. Designed by Hermann Tilke and first used in 2016, it is one of the longest and fastest street circuits on the Formula 1 calendar. The contrast between the 7.6-metre castle section and the seafront straight is what makes Baku unique: one lap demands both precision at walking-pace walls and the nerve to stay flat towards 360 km/h.

The circuit measures 6.003 km and features 20 corners, raced anti-clockwise over 51 laps. Turn 1 is a heavy stop after the long straight. Turns 8-12 squeeze through the Old City climb past the Maiden Tower, before the track opens onto Neftchilar Avenue for the run back to the line. Safety Cars are common, overtaking is possible in more than one place, and results have included shocks such as Daniel Ricciardo’s 2017 win and Oscar Piastri’s 2024 breakthrough.

• Track length: 6.003 km
• Laps: 51
• Corners: 20
• Lap record: 1:43.009 – Charles Leclerc (Ferrari, 2019)
• Direction: Anti-clockwise
• First F1 race: 2016

Azerbaijan GP FAQs

When is the Azerbaijan GP 2026?

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix runs from 24 to 26 September 2026 at the Baku City Circuit. The race is on Saturday rather than Sunday to accommodate Azerbaijan Remembrance Day. See the schedule above for exact times in your local timezone and track time.

How many laps is the Azerbaijan GP?

The Azerbaijan GP is contested over 51 laps around the Baku City Circuit.

What is the length of the Baku F1 track?

The circuit length at Baku is 6.003 km per lap.

Who holds the Azerbaijan GP lap record?

The race lap record at Baku is 1:43.009, set by Charles Leclerc for Ferrari in 2019.

Which driver has most Azerbaijan GP wins?

Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen share the record with two wins each at the Baku City Circuit.

Why is Baku such an unpredictable F1 race?

Baku combines a narrow Old City section with one of the longest straights in Formula 1. The mix of walls, high top speeds and Safety Car interruptions regularly produces slipstreaming fights and surprise results.