Trackside at Baku City Circuit – 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Your trackside guide to Baku City Circuit & the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. On-track schedule, trackside attractions & post-race concerts.

• The 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix takes place from September 19-21
• Tickets are not expected to go on sale until early 2025. In the meantime, we recommend F1 Experiences Ticket Packages
• Join our private Facebook group for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Connect with fellow fans & get advice
• This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links

After an uneventful first year, when it was known as the European Grand Prix, Baku has delivered several exciting races. The organizers have also improved the fan experience year on year after some initial teething problems With very few international visitors for the race, you definitely won’t be facing the traffic chaos, queues and other issues faced by many fans at some of the largest races this year.

Taking a leaf out of Singapore and Abu Dhabi, Baku also puts on some big-name concerts. The concerts moved back to Crystal Hall in 2024, the venue Azerbaijan hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012. Will Smith and J Balvin performed as part of this year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Formula 1’s sprint format has not been used in Azerbaijan since 2023, and format won’t return in 2025.

Entry to Baku City Circuit

• Circuit Entry: You will be able to enter the circuit after scanning your e-ticket. You will receive a wristband, which will be required for re-entry on the same day.
• Circuit Map: See above. Click here for an alternative map.
• Access Gates: Six gates  provide access to Baku City Circuit (see map above). Most of the grandstands and off-track activities are located on the southern side of the circuit, closest to the waterfront boulevard (or Bulvar). To get around the circuit, there’s plenty of underpasses and bridges to help you cross the track. Due to road closures, it can also be quicker to use the metro to get from one part of the track to another. For example, the quickest way to get from the old town to the Fanzone is to take the Metro one stop from Icheri Sheher to Sahil.
• Security / Prohibited Items: Fans are subject to a search and bag inspection when entering the circuit. Here is a select list of prohibited items at Baku City Circuit: alcohol, beverage containers (except for one clear plastic bottle of water: no more than 100 ml in size), food (excluding baby food), photo cameras with lenses exceeding 30 cm, any seating devices (chairs, stools), flags with handles exceeding 1m or with offensive texts/symbols/images, picnic hampers. Click here for more information.

Baku City Circuit: Need to Know

• Post-Race Track Invasion: After the race on Sunday, it is normally possible to enter the track for the podium ceremony (the so-called ‘track invasion). Track gates are opened in the F1 Fanzone (Purple Zone) near the Absheron Grandstand.
• Fanzones: The entertainment areas at Baku City Circuit are divided into several zones. The main F1 Fanzone (Purple Zone) is located behind the Absheron Grandstand on the start/finish straight, close to the seafront boulevard known as the ‘Bulvar’. There is no physical separation between the zones, so it’s possible to visit all of them. Learn more on the circuit website.
• Event Guide: Download a comprehensive event guide and map for the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Schedule

• On-Track Schedule: The full timetable of on-track action for the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix won’t be published until around 6-8 weeks before race weekend. The 2024 schedule is listed below for information purposes.
• Sprint Race: Baku is NOT one of the six circuits which will host and F1 Sprint in 2025
• Support Categories: Formula 2 will be the main support category at the 2025 Azerbaijan GP (there has no other support races at recent editions of the race)
• Fanzone Opening/Closing Times: To be confirmed for 2025
• Pit Lane Walk: A pit lane walk for holders of 4-day tickets is normally held on Thursday (this year from 16:30-18:00) – details are TBC for 2025. F1 Experiences also holds a separate pit lane walk for selected guests on Thursday. Guests of the F1 Paddock Club can take part in daily pit lane walks on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of race weekend.

Friday

• 11:00-11:45: Formula 2 – Practice Session
• 11:40-12:15: Fan Forum 1 (VCARB, Aston Martin, Williams, Kick Sauber & McLaren)
• 12:00-13:00: Paddock Club – Track Tour & Pit Lane Walk
• 13:30-14:30: Formula 1 – Free Practice 1 (FP1)
• 15:00-15:30: Formula 2 – Qualifying Session
• 15:40-16:35: Paddock Club – Track Tour & Pit Lane Walk
• 17:00-18:00: Formula 1 – Free Practice 2 (FP2)

Saturday

• 10:30-11:15: Fan Forum (Haas, Alpine, Red Bull Racing, Ferrari, Mercedes)
• 11:15-12:15: Paddock Club – Track Tour & Pit Lane Walk
• 12:30-13:30: Formula 1 – Free Practice 3 (FP3)
• 14:15-15:05: Formula 2 – Sprint Race (21 laps or 45 minutes + 1 lap)
• 16:00-17:00: Formula 1 – Qualifying
• 17:15-18:15: Paddock Club – Track Tour & Pit Lane Walk

Sunday

• 11:35-12:40: Formula 2 – Feature Race (29 laps or 60 minutes + 1 lap)
• 12:55-13:55: Paddock Club – Track Tour & Pit Lane Walk
• 13:00-13:30: Formula 1 – Drivers’ Parade
• 14:44-14:46: National Anthem
• 15:00-17:00: Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix (51 laps or 2 hours)

2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Pit Lane Walk

Details of the pit lane walk at the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix won’t be announced until closer to race weekend. In the meantime, 2024 information is below for information purposes.

• A pit lane walk for the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held on held on Thursday, September 12 from 16:30-18:00
• The pit lane walk is open to all 4-day ticket holders (holders of 3-day General Admission tickets cannot participate)
• The pit lane walk is a unique opportunity to walk down the pit lane and get a glimpse of the teams at work, as they make the final preparations to the cars ahead of the race weekend. If you’re lucky, you may even spot a driver or two!
• The F1 Fanzone is also expected to be open on Thursday

F1 Fan Forum in Baku

Details of the Fan Forum at the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix won’t be announced until much closer to race weekend. 2024 information is published below for information purposes.

The popular F1 Fan Forum sees the drivers appear on the stage in the fanzone at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for a live Q&A. (In the past this has also involved an autograph session). The drivers from each team will appear on different days, more information is below. As the drivers do not around too long, we recommend getting there early if you want the best chance of seeing your favorite driver up close. The stage in the fan zone is located behind the Absheron (Main) Grandstand,

F1 Fan Forum 1: Friday (11:40-12:15)

• 11:40-11:55: VCARB (Daniel Ricciardo & Yuki Tsunoda)
• 11:50-12:05: Aston Martin (Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll) & Williams (Alex Albon, Franco Colapinto)
• 12:00-12:15: Kick Sauber (Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu) & McLaren (Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri)

F1 Fan Forum 2: Saturday (10:30-11:15)

• 10:30-10:45: Haas (Nico Hulkenburg, Oliver Bearman)
• 10:40-10:55: Alpine (Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon) & Red Bull Racing (Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez)
• 10:50-11:05: Ferrari (Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz)
• 11:00-11:15: Mercedes (Lewis Hamilton, George Russell)

Azerbaijan Grand Prix Concerts

Details of the concert headliners at the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix won’t be announced until closer to race weekend.

As part of the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Will Smith performed on Friday, September 13 and J Balvin performed on Saturday September 14. South African DJ and music producer Black Coffee will also perform on Friday, September 13.

The concerts normally start around 9-10pm. All 4-day grandstand ticket holders have free access to the concerts. (Holders of 3-day General Admission tickets do not receive free concert entry).

After holding concerts on a temporary stage in the fan zone for the past few years (DJs Don Diabo & Hardwell performed last year), this year’s concerts return to Baku Crystal Hall, the impressive concert venue along the Bulvar (seafront boulevard) that staged the 2012 Eurovision song contest. Whilst it is possible to walk from Baku City Circuit to Baku Crystal Hall (about one hour on foot), the race organizer also offer shuttle transfers to F1 fans, which leave from near the Maiden Tower.