The Azerbaijan GP 2025 returns to Baku’s high-speed walls, with McLaren chasing the Constructors’ crown and Formula 2’s rising stars tackling one of the calendar’s most punishing circuits.
Azerbaijan GP 2025 Weekend Breakdown
The Azerbaijan GP 2025 weekend brings a packed schedule, with both Formula 1 and Formula 2 action set against Baku’s unforgiving streets.
Baku City Circuit Guide: Layout, Records, Overtaking Zones
The Baku City Circuit is a study in contrasts. Stretching over 6 kilometres, it blends medieval stone walls with modern seafront boulevards, creating one of the most distinctive tests on the calendar. With 20 corners, many of them sharp right angles, the lap is defined by two extremes: a 2.2 km full-throttle blast past the Caspian Sea, and the needle-threading Turn 8 through the Old City, where the track narrows to just 7–8 metres.
From Turn 16 all the way to the braking zone at Turn 1, drivers stay flat for the longest sustained full-throttle run of the year — even longer than Spa’s Kemmel straight. It’s where slipstreaming battles are fierce and where Safety Car restarts become a nightmare for the race leader.
Yet in the castle section, average speed drops to around 60 km/h, demanding razor-sharp precision. This is where minor errors often mean heavy contact with the walls. No surprise then that Virtual and full Safety Cars are almost inevitable in both qualifying and the race.
Baku is the fourth longest circuit in F1, behind Spa, Las Vegas, and Jeddah. With its low-drag demands and high-downforce precision, the engineering challenge is all about compromise, how much straight-line speed can you carry without losing stability in the tightest sections?
Photo Credit: Alpine F1 Team
- Length / laps / distance: 6.003 km • 51 laps • 306.049 km
Race lap records by each series:
- F1 – 1:43.009 – Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 2019
- F2 – 1:52.129 – Charles Leclerc (Prema Racing) – 2017
Weather Outlook: How Conditions Will Shape F1 and F2
Weather could play a decisive role in the Azerbaijan GP 2025, with shifting winds and rain chances shaping both F1 and F2 sessions.
Friday – September 19
Forecast Conditions:
Partly cloudy early, increasing cloud cover in the afternoon. Slight chance of a shower in late afternoon, growing more likely overnight. Light southeasterly winds veering northerly, becoming moderate in the evening.
F1 Impacts:
- FP1 will likely be cleanest. Teams will push early to get baseline aero, tyre, and setup data before wind shifts and possible moisture.
- In FP2, increasing clouds + chance of showers mean grip levels might drop or become inconsistent. Long runs may be compromised; tyre warm-up harder later in session due to cooler or cloudier air.
- Wind shift from southeast to north will affect car balance, especially on straights and fast corners. Teams may need to adjust wing angles or suspension settings between session
F2 Impacts:
- F2 practice or qualifying sessions will suffer more from any track dampness, smaller margins, less forgiving car setups. Rain would especially mess up tyre warm-ups, making Q unpredictable.
- Drivers may be cautious early; risk of mistakes in tight sections if grip drops. Teams must gather data on both compounds early, anticipating possible wet-line grip (if any moisture).
Saturday – September 20
Forecast Conditions:
Mostly cloudy in morning; slight to moderate chance of showers before noon. Afternoon likely dry, partly-to-mostly cloudy. Wind moderate to strong from northwest, gusts up to ~60 kph in morning, easing later. Temps around 20-21°C. Rain chance ~40%.
F1 Impacts:
- FP3 may be the most volatile session: morning showers and strong gusts could make grip uneven. Cars sliding, unstable under braking, especially in narrow Old City turns.
- Qualifying expected to be cleaner if rain holds off, those who can make the most of the improving track (less wind, drying line) will have advantage. Setup decisions based on FP3 data will be critical under changing wind conditions.
- Wind gusts could upset high-speed stability, powering out of corners, overtaking zones will be more treacherous.
F2 Impacts:
- Sprint session likely to see biggest fluctuations. If rain hits in morning, some F2 drivers may opt for a more conservative run to ensure a safe drive; risk vs reward high.
- Gusty conditions will test driver control; especially for less experienced drivers, making smooth inputs under wind becomes key.
- Tyre choices will need to consider possible grip variation — track may dry in some sectors earlier than others.
Sunday – September 21
Forecast Conditions:
Mostly to fully cloudy, improving as day goes on. Slight chance of a light morning shower. Likely dry race overall, but can’t exclude brief showers. Moderate northwesterly winds (40-50 km/h in morning, easing slightly during race). Race start ~21°C. Rain chance ~20%.
F1 Impacts:
- Dry conditions expected, so race pace, tyre degradation & race strategy become central. Soft compounds may degrade faster in cloud cover + cooler air, especially in exposed sections.
- Wind still a factor: gusts can affect stability on long straights and into braking zones. Slipstream fights for position could be affected by turbulence and side-winds.
- Any early moisture (morning dew or light shower) could linger in less sunlit track sections, catching drivers off guard, especially off line or exiting old city. Safety Car risk remains.
F2 Impacts:
- Feature Race likely dry; drivers who managed to preserve tyres or had good long-run data will benefit. But rain risk, even small, could scramble strategy for mid-pack.
- Wind and cloud cover may reduce track temperature vs what teams practiced for, affecting tyre warm-up times. Those who adapt best will gain.
- Driver errors more likely in early laps when track might be slippery or cooler, especially in city turns and less forgiving sectors.
Tyres & Strategy: Pirelli C6/C5/C4 and F2 Supersoft vs Soft
C6 returns: two-stop back on the table
Pirelli has gone all-in for Baku with its softest allocation of the season, bringing the C6 Soft, C5 Medium, and C4 Hard. This marks a step down from 2024 and reintroduces the C6, already seen in Imola, Monaco, and Montreal. On a street circuit that traditionally produces low grip and limited abrasion, this choice is designed to shake up the tactical picture.
The softer range transforms the approach to Sunday. In past editions of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, tyre wear tended to steer the field toward a straightforward one-stop, especially when graining became the dominant factor. This year, however, the compounds are less prone to that issue, which makes a two-stop strategy far more realistic. Teams will now be able to weigh the benefits of raw pace against the risks of track position, knowing that degradation is more manageable than in previous seasons.
Strategy on Sunday will depend on who dares to be flexible. A one-stop remains possible, particularly for teams with excellent balance and disciplined drivers, but it is far from guaranteed. A two-stop could emerge as the more aggressive route, especially if a Safety Car creates a cheap window to change tyres. Considering that Baku has seen interruptions in nearly every edition since its debut, pit walls will be on high alert. The frontrunners may try to dictate the rhythm by forcing rivals into a reactive strategy, yet history suggests that those who adapt quickly to interruptions usually come out on top.
Photo Credit: Alpine F1 Team
F2 compounds: Supersoft window and Safety Car triggers
Formula 2 returns to Baku with the Supersoft and Soft compounds, the same pairing used last year. The Supersoft is the faster option but tends to last no more than seven to nine laps before dropping off. That makes it the preferred choice for qualifying and the early stages of the Feature Race, especially if a Safety Car appears around lap six, a common occurrence on this circuit. In that case, expect the majority of the field to dive into the pits together.
If the race runs without interruption, however, the undercut on fresh Supersofts could be decisive. The Soft is more durable and capable of stretching stints, but it can suffer from overheating in the traction zones and may show signs of graining on the front axle if conditions are cooler. Drivers who manage temperature swings and balance tyre stress across the lap will gain the most, particularly in the Feature where strategy often decides the podium.
What to Watch
The Azerbaijan GP 2025 is set to be a turning point in both championships, with title fights and strategy battles likely to define the weekend.
McLaren’s title math
McLaren can seal the Constructors’ Championship in Baku. Out-scoring Ferrari by nine points is enough, and a win plus P2 or P3 ends the debate regardless. Charles Leclerc’s one-lap speed is a subplot: he’s taken the last four Baku poles, yet wins from pole here are rare. That tension frames the title fight between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, with Piastri holding a 31-point edge.
Tyres sharpen strategy. Pirelli brings C6-C5-C4, a step softer than 2024, which re-opens two-stop possibilities on a circuit that usually nudges teams toward one. Safety Cars remain the joker; Baku’s walls and long braking zones routinely shuffle plans and reward reactive pit-walls.
Max Verstappen lurks as the spoiler. He arrives with fresh momentum after Monza and will punish any McLaren slip. Ferrari’s route likely runs through qualifying supremacy and track position, while Mercedes hunt for opportunistic points if chaos erupts.
Finally, watch the restart game. The two-kilometre blast from Turn 16 to Turn 1 magnifies tow effects, so timing and battery deployment can flip the order in seconds. Moreover, any gusty winds along the seafront will test braking stability into the heavy stops.
What Happened in 2024
The 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix on 15 September delivered drama and turning points. Charles Leclerc secured pole for the fourth consecutive year in Baku, yet race day belonged to Oscar Piastri, who powered past him for his second career win. George Russell inherited third when Carlos Sainz Jr. and Sergio Pérez collided on the penultimate lap. Lando Norris climbed from 15th to fourth and grabbed fastest lap, edging Max Verstappen.
McLaren’s haul vaulted them to the top of the Constructors’ standings — the first time since the 2014 Australian GP. That result was pivotal: McLaren led Red Bull by 20 points with seven races left. Additionally, Franco Colapinto scored points, marking the first Argentine to do so since Carlos Reutemann in 1982.
Fornaroli’s streak, Verschoor’s Baku pedigree
Leonardo Fornaroli arrives as championship leader and the grid’s form man, carrying the longest active scoring streak since the Red Bull Ring Feature in June. Meanwhile, Luke Browning’s breakthrough Feature win at Monza tightened the chase and sharpened Hitech’s momentum.
Baku’s history rewards composure and track position. Only three drivers have won here from pole in F2 — Oliver Bearman, Alex Albon, and, last year, Richard Verschoor. Verschoor is also one of two drivers on the current grid to have already won in Baku, the other being Joshua Duerksen, whose Sprint victory underlined how quickly this circuit punishes errors.
Trident Motorsport brings a fresh look to Azerbaijan GP 2025 as Martinius Stenshorne and Laurens Van Hoepen make their F2 debuts. Both impressed in Formula 3 this season, yet tackling Baku’s streets without prior F2 mileage promises a steep but exciting challenge.
Strategy will hinge on clean laps and Safety Car timing. The long full-throttle run to Turn 1 invites bold moves, yet lock-ups into the heavy braking zones can ruin tyres and confidence. Moreover, any restart chaos tends to magnify gains or losses across the midfield, where the title contenders cannot afford to be trapped. Finally, with Fornaroli on 174 points, Browning on 153, and Verschoor on 144, every decision carries championship weight in a round that often swings momentum.
What happened in F2 in Azerbaijan 2024
The Baku F2 weekend delivered firsts and championship shifts. Joshua Duerksen swept the Sprint Race from fourth on the grid, claiming his maiden victory. He edged ahead of Jak Crawford and held off a fierce charge from Gabriele Minì to seal the podium. This run solidified his reputation, as he became the first Paraguayan to win a Formula 2 race.
The Feature Race was no less dramatic. Richard Verschoor converted pole into the win, but only after a start-line crash caused a red flag and reduced the race to 17 laps. Victor Martins and Andrea Kimi Antonelli chased him hard, but late Safety Car intervention preserved Verschoor’s lead to the flag. Gabriel Bortoleto scored the fastest lap and took over the Drivers’ Championship lead, edging ahead after a strong fourth-place finish.
Feature Image Credit: Scuderia Ferrari