AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX
BAKU CITY CIRCUIT - BAKU
Azerbaijan GP: all you need to know
Azerbaijan has been an independent state since October 1991 a few months prior to the Soviet Union ceasing to exist and in geographical terms is home to the Caucasus mountains and the Caspian Sea. It is in the country’s capital, located on its shores that Formula 1 made one of its newest home at the Baku Street Circuit in 2016. The maiden race here went by the name of the European GP, but the last three editions were called the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
BAKU CITY CIRCUIT
As fast as the wind
Formula 1 first raced in Azerbaijan in 2016 when the event was called the European Grand Prix, before changing its name to the Azerbaijan GP the following year. The track is a mix of long fast straights and tight and twisty corners. The trickiest part of the track runs around the medieval walls of Baku, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dating back to 600 AD. The slightest mistake at this point can have serious consequences.
Below sea level
The Baku track is unique on the calendar, as it is the only venue located below sea level with Baku being the lowest capital city in the world.
A mix of past and present
The city of Baku is a mix of old and new as exemplified by a trip around the track, which passes the three modern Flame Towers skyscrapers, as well as the enchanting Gis Galasi (Tower of the Virgin,) built in the 12th century and a symbol of Azerbaijan culture.
