After a dramatic race on a dry-wet circuit in Monaco, Formula One will now move to the second-longest and newest street circuit for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2022. Constructed in 2016, the Baku City Circuit is one of the fastest tracks in the world, with a 2 km long straight from Turn 14. The circuit, being the second-longest, is 6.003 km in length. It has 20 turns with an array of straights and a very narrow section right next to the city wall. Moreover, the Baku circuit was designed by renowned circuit designer Hermann Tilke and is located near the Caspian seafront in the city’s heart.
Further, Baku is like Monaco, where drivers have to be very careful and focus while driving. Slight errors could result in a DNF very easily in Baku. But, at the same time, the street circuit is known as the mecca of slipstreaming. Thus, we can certainly expect a bit more of overtaking that in Monte Carlo at the last racing weekend.
Three cars can run side by side until Turn one as the track moves into the narrow streets of Baku, passing through the Icheri Sheher old town and the medieval city walls. However, the best place to watch the race is the principal Absheron grandstand, where the F1 cars rushing at 350km/hour break heavily into the 90-degree Turn 1. The drivers have a 51 lap run during Azerbaijan Grand Prix and cover a total distance of 306.049 kilometers in around an hour and 20 minutes.
Red Bull Look To Build Their Lead As Sergio Perez Has A Chance To Win Two GPs In A Row
Monaco turned out to be a brilliant race for Red Bull as they achieved a double podium. Surprisingly, Sergio Perez emerged to be the frontman after Charles Leclerc fell behind to P4. After winning his first race of the season, Checo now has an opportunity of winning in Baku, where he won the race in 2021.
Max Verstappen will also try his best to get another victory in Bak. With this, he will increase his lead in the drivers’ championship against Leclerc. The Dutchman has a nine-point lead over Leclerc and 15 points more than Sergio. Moreover, the reigning world champ could not finish the race last year. So, he would hope to get a good result during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Thus, it will be another week of Red Bull vs. Ferrari action during the next arcing weekend.
Mercedes would also hope to learn from the W13’s data from the race in Monaco. Thus, the Silver Arrows could find a way to make the car run better at another street circuit and hope to get a better result on June 12. The German racing team is falling behind in both championships, with Ferrari and Red Bull leading the way. The trackside racing engineer Andrew Shovlin also suggested that the team is working hard to run the car closer to the optimal window. They are making it suitable for a wider range of circuits that will come ahead in the calendar.
The Azerbaijan GP is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 12. The racing teams will have two practice sessions on Friday. Moreover, fans will have an entertaining Saturday on June 11 with FP3 and the crucial qualifying session.