Scuderia Ferrari HP is all set for the next round of the calendar that takes place on the extreme eastern edge of Europe, in Azerbaijan. The Baku City Circuit is unique in many ways, with the cars racing past the iconic rock of the old city before flying down the very long straights that have made this street circuit one of the most popular with fans who look forward to the usual thrilling duels.
The track. At just over six kilometres in length the layout offers a bit of everything, with hard braking, 90 degree corners and chicanes that put a premium on driver ability. The straight that goes from turn 16 to turn 1 is over two kilometres long and is the scene of plenty of action during the race, with drivers slipstreaming one another at over 320 km/h. From turns 4 to 12, the drivers have to adopt a more usual street circuit driving style, with barriers very close and right angle corners, including the famous left hander under the ancient tower which is only wide enough to accommodate one car at a time.
Weather, tyres and strategy. The forecast is for plenty of sunshine all weekend, but as we head towards autumn, there is always the chance of strong winds blowing in from the Black Sea, which make the driver’s job much more complicated, especially when braking. Sudden rain showers cannot be ruled out, even if none are forecast at the moment. In terms of tyre choice, this has generally been a one-stop race, starting on the Medium tyre before switching to Hards for the run to the chequered flag. However, there is always a chance of the Safety Car putting in an appearance, so it is prudent to have saved a set of Softs in case the race is turned into a short sprint finish over a handful of laps.
Programme. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix runs to the usual format, with three free practice sessions: FP1 and FP2 on Friday starting at 13.30 and 17.00 local time (11.30 and 15.00 CEST); FP3 on Saturday at 12.30 (10.30 CEST) followed by qualifying in the afternoon at 16.00 (14.00 CEST.) The 51 lap race gets underway on Sunday at 15.00 (13.00 CEST).
Fred Vasseur, Team Principal Scuderia Ferrari HP
"The Baku street circuit features a combination of very high speed sections and extremely twisty ones, presenting a unique set of challenges. In the past, we have usually been quite competitive here and it is also one of Charles’ favourites. We are on a high following the win in Monza and we are determined to maintain this run of form. Once again, we can expect to see a very close fight between the top four teams. I often say we are focussing on ourselves and it’s clear this is the right approach, because we have seen a dramatic change in the hierarchy among the teams since the early part of the season. Our win in Italy also supports my view that how you execute the weekend from Friday to Sunday can play as important a role as the actual performance level of the car, so with Charles and Carlos we will again be aiming to do everything perfectly in Baku, to try and bring home another very good result for the team."
FERRARI STATS
GP contested 1090
Seasons in F1 75
Debut Monaco 1950 (A. Ascari 2nd; R. Sommer 4th; L. Villoresi ret.)
Wins 246 (22.57%)
Pole positions 251 (23.03%)
Fastest laps 262 (24.04%)
Podiums 820 (25.08%)
FERRARI STATS GRANDX PRIX RUN AT BAKU CITY CIRCUIT
GP contested 7
Debut 2016 European GP (S. Vettel 2nd; K. Räikkönen 4th)
Wins 0
Pole positions 4 (57.14%)
Fastest laps 2 (28.57%)
Podiums 4 (19.05%)
AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX: FACTS & FIGURES
4. The main bazaars in the city of Baku. The most famous is Yashil Bazaar, which means ‘green market” in Azeri, the biggest source of food in the capital, packed with organic fruit and vegetables, herbs and spices, nuts an dried fruit, fruit juices, sauces and jams, as well as local delicacies such as caviar and saffron. Walking along the many rows allows one to experience tastes and aromas from various parts of the country. It is a very popular spot with both locals and tourists. The stall holders are happy to help choose and offer samples to taste. The other bazaars are the Sharq (the east market), the Teze (new market) and the 8 Kilometre.
15. The number of tracks at which Charles Leclerc has racked up his 25 Formula 1 pole positions. There are three tracks where the Monegasque has set the fastest time in qualifying three times: Monaco, Spa-Francorchamps and Baku. He has started from the number one grid slot twice in Sakhir, Monza, Singapore and Mexico City, with one pole at Spielberg, Sochi, Melbourne, Miami, Barcelona, Le Castellet, Austin and Las Vegas.
18. The countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union and are now independent or semi-independent, a list which of course includes Azerbaijan. The others are Armenia, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. There are also three breakaway states, with limited recognition but that are de facto independent. These are Transnistria (a breakaway from Moldova), Abkhazia and South Ossetia (both breakaway from Georgia).
1411. The year in which the Shirvanshah Palace was built, the most important building in Azerbaijan, situated in Baku’s Old City. The structure comprises the Divanhane buildings, a vaulted tomb, a mosque with a minaret, the Seyid Yahya Bakuvi mausoleum, the Murad gate, a water tower and the remains of the baths. The palace features on the ten Manat banknote. The Shirvanshah dynasty, ruled by Ibrahim I, moved the capital from Shemakha to Baku and commissioned the building of the palace.
1960. The year in which Baku’s “Little Venice” was inaugurated on the sea shore. It consists of two large islands and a few smaller ones, linked by bridges made of decorative stone. There are even gondolas navigating the canals. Over the years, the Mirvari café was built there, along with a Little Venice water park, the Bahar cinema and lots of shops. The restaurants on the islands, feature various types of cuisine, including tasty Azeri dishes.