Learn more about the history of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit, one of the most interesting additions to the Formula 1 calendar in recent years.
- The 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix runs from September 19-21
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Azerbaijan, a former Soviet republic between Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia, is the latest F1 destination with large oil reserves and a dubious human rights record. Disgraced former Renault F1 boss Flavio Briatore is said to have helped Bernie Ecclestone sign a deal for the race with the autocratic government of Azerbaijan, who are rumored to be paying around $50m USD per year in sanctioning fees.
A five-year binding contract was signed in April 2014 to bring Formula 1 to Azerbaijan, right before oil prices began a big slide. The first race at Baku City Circuit in 2016 was titled the ‘European Grand Prix’, before the event became known as the ‘Azerbaijan Grand Prix’ in 2017.
The new owners of the Formula 1 Group did not got off on the best foot when it comes to relations with the Baku organizers in early 2017. CEO Greg Maffei was quoted as saying that “races in places like Baku in Azerbaijan where they paid us a big race fee but it does nothing to build the long-term brand and health of the business. Our job is to find partners that pay us well but also help us to build the product.”
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix has signed a number of contract extensions over its relatively short history. In 2019, race organisers signed a new deal securing the future of the event until 2023. The 2020 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, whilst the 2021 race took place behind closed doors – which led to the contract being extended in May 2021 through to 2024.
Over the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Formula 1 announced a further contract extension, keeping Baku City Circuit on the calendar until at least 2026.
One of the Lowest Attended Races of the Season
The inaugural 2016 event was attended by just 30,000 fans over three days. Attendance over the weekend rose to 71,541 in 2017, an increase of 138%, before rising over 30% again at the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The figure dropped by around 9,000 in 2019 to 85,000 spectators.
Baku remains one of the least-attended races on the F1 calendar. The low attendances can be attributed to a lower than usual number of grandstand seats, plus the fact that tickets are relatively unaffordable for local fans. Nevertheless, attendance figures are growing at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with an increase in international visitor numbers.
Race organisers reported that all grandstand seats sold out for the 2023 race, leading to an undisclosed record-breaking attendance figure for the event. Grandstand capacity was increased by 35% for the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
About Baku City Circuit
The Baku City Circuit was designed by Hermann Tilke, who has been responsible for laying out so many of F1’s newest tracks. It’s located right in the heart of the city, close to the main promenade on the Caspian Sea.
In addition to many long straights – which made it the fastest street circuit on which Formula 1 raced, until Jeddah Corniche Circuit joined the calendar in 2021 – Baku City Circuit also includes a very narrow section (turns 8 through 12) next to the old city walls.
At 6.003km, the Baku City Circuit is the third longest on the current F1 calendar after Spa Francorchamps (7.004km) and Jeddah Corniche Circuit (6.174km).
Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Did You Know?
- In 2023, Sergio Perez became the first repeat winner at Baku City Circuit on Formula 1’s seventh visit to Azerbaijan. Charles Leclerc became the circuit’s first repeat polesitter in 2022.
- The inaugural race in 2016 was officially called the “Grand Prix of Europe.” A race with this title has been held 23 times since 1983, most recently (before Baku) at the Valencia street circuit and the Nürburgring. The race was renamed the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for 2017.
- From the eight races held so far at the Baku City Circuit, Nico Rosberg in 2016 and Valtteri Bottas in 2019 are the only polesitters who have gone on to win the Grand Prix.
- During qualifying for the 2016 race, Valtteri Bottas of Williams set an unofficial record for the highest ever speed recorded in an F1 car at 378 km/h.
- Sergio Perez holds the record for most podium finishes at this track. He has finished on the podium here five times.
- Formula 1’s “Sprint Shootout” was held for the first time on the Saturday of the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The new 45-minute qualifying session determined the grid for the F1 Sprint later in the day. Charles Leclerc set the fastest lap time.
- Lance Stroll was the second youngest driver ever to score a podium when he finished third in the 2017 race. Aged 18 years 239 days, he was only 11 days older than Max Verstappen was when he won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix.
- The 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix marked the first time that a Mexican driver, a German driver and a French driver shared the three podium positions in Formula 1.
- At the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso set a new record for the longest F1 career. Race day in Baku marked 21 years, 3 months and 8 days since his debut at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix, eclipsing Michael Schumacher’s former longevity record.
Memorable Moments in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
2016 European Grand Prix: A rather dull affair
The first race at Baku City Circuit in 2016 was won by Nico Rosberg, who completed his second ‘F1 grand slam’ by also taking pole and fastest lap. Sebastian Vettel finished second for Ferrari and Sergio Perez completed the podium. Lewis Hamilton had ‘power deployment’ issues and could do no better than fifth. The race was one of the least eventful of 2016, with little in the way of passing and just four retirements, all mechanical. Watch the highlights.
2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: What a difference a year makes!
The 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was arguably the best race of the season, featuring several safety car periods, infamous crashes – including between team-mates! – and a fine win in the end from Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo. Ricciardo’s three-car pass into the first corner was judged the best overtake of the year, on his way to winning the race from tenth on the grid. Valtteri Bottas overtook Lance Stroll on the finish line for second place, while Stroll himself took the first podium finish of his career. Watch the highlights.
2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Vettel loses his cool
The main talking point of the 2017 event was Sebastian Vettel’s frustration under the Safety Car period, as he infamously drove into the side of championship rival Lewis Hamilton. Vettel was given a ten second stop/go penalty for the incident, costing him the race win. Watch the highlights.
2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Hamilton wins in the closing stages
The race delivered again in 2018, and was another one of the most memorable races of the year. A first lap coming together shunted Esteban Ocon out of the race, while Fernando Alonso made a miraculous return to the pits with a double puncture. The Red Bull drivers battled hard throughout the race, but their race ended in disaster as they came together at the end of the straight. While Romain Grosjean managed to crash under Safety Car conditions, Sebastian Vettel locked up into the first turn at the restart, handing the lead to Valtteri Bottas. Bottas ran over debris with just a few laps remaining, giving him a puncture and leaving Lewis Hamilton to take a fortuitous victory. Watch the highlights.
2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Disappointment for the title contenders
After overtaking Charles Leclerc in the opening laps, Max Verstappen comfortably led the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix until five laps from the end, when a tyre failure saw the Red Bull driver crash out of the race. The subsequent red flag period meant there would be a five lap dash to the finish line. From a standing start, Lewis Hamilton started alongside Sergio Perez on the front row but Hamilton locked up at the first turn and ran deep into the run-off area. Perez took his first win as a Red Bull driver and the popular podium was unexpectedly completed by Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel and AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly. Watch the highlights.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix Facts
| Circuit Name | Baku City Circuit |
| Race first held | 2016 |
| Track Length | 6.003km (20 turns) |
| Race Distance | 51 laps (306.049km) |
| Lap Record | 1:43.009, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari, 2019) |
| 2024 Result | 1st Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 1:32:58.007 |
| 2nd Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +10.910s | |
| 3rd George Russell (Mercedes) +31.328s |
