Poll: Official 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Race Thread - Baku City Circuit, Baku- Race 4/23

[chrismscotland]

​

Baku​

When was the track built?​

It wasn’t – Baku is the newest street circuit on the Formula 1 calendar, joining the ranks of Monaco, Melbourne and Singapore.

When was its first Grand Prix?​

The first Grand Prix in Baku was held in 2016, as the European Grand Prix. That was followed by the inaugural Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2017, which witnessed one of the biggest upsets of the season, with Daniel Ricciardo winning out from Valtteri Bottas and the Williams of Lance Stroll, while Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel engaged in some argy-bargy behind the Safety Car.

What’s the circuit like?​

A mixture of wide and open and tight and twisty. The lonnnnng main straight along the Baku shoreline is a slipstreaming mecca, and with cars able to run three abreast into Turn 1, the action often looks more IndyCar than F1. However from there, the track loops around into the city’s narrow, winding Icheri Sheher old town, dramatically wending past Baku’s medieval city walls. As in Monaco, slightest mistakes are punished quickly and severely, while set-up wise, the teams are forced to choose between downforce for the twisty bits and less drag for the straight.

Why go?​

As with all city tracks, spectating at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix means that you’re right in the middle of the action when the cars get put back in their boxes. Baku itself is a buzzing city, while food is a key part of Azerbaijan’s culture, incorporating elements of Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine – so eat up!

Schedule Information & TV Broadcast Times​

Channel 4 Highlights - Broadcast Times​

Saturday 29th April 2023 - Azerbaijan GP Qualifying Highlights - 19:50
Sunday 30th April 2023 - Azerbaijan GP Race Highlights - 17:30

Weekend Weather Forecast (as at 10:50 - 24/04/2023)​

Track Diagram & Information​

Previous Race Highlights​

• Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2021 - Highlights
• Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2022 - Highlights
• Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Most Dramatic Moments

Championship Standings​

To be added!

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[Feek]

Thanks @chrismscotland, it's good to be back after such a stupid long time since the last race.

I like this circuit, I like the closeness and unforgivingness of the walls at some of the corners. Plus, Seb got on the podium here recently!

 

[chrismscotland]

Thanks @chrismscotland, it's good to be back after such a stupid long time since the last race.

I like this circuit, I like the closeness and unforgivingness of the walls at some of the corners. Plus, Seb got on the podium here recently!

I know almost feels like the season starting again after such a long wait!
Been a fair few other things to watch (Indycar/WEC) and the BTCC started this weekend but its just not F1

 

[Stumble Bum]

2pm friday qualifying and a saturday sprint. What a pity.

 

[Yaayuh!]

2pm friday qualifying and a saturday sprint. What a pity.

Indeed.
I just end up watching the race these days anyway, If I can. Probably the last year of Sky F1 for me.

 

[Steeps]

Thought F1 management had agreed with the teams they were replacing FP2 with sprint qualifying for the sprint race which isn't a race as its supposed to set the grid for Sunday but now that will be done with the Friday qualifying?

 

[chrismscotland]

Thought F1 management had agreed with the teams they were replacing FP2 with sprint qualifying for the sprint race which isn't a race as its supposed to set the grid for Sunday but now that will be done with the Friday qualifying?

Hasn't been updated on the F1 website yet but I think you right - regardless same time slot for "spring qualifying" on Sat as the existing FP2

 

[Stumble Bum]

Ok i've found it, they've not even ratified the changes yet, set to be done on Weds. Bizarre that they're making last minute changes to the race format but that's F1 for you.

Expected format for this weekend is:

Day	Session		UK
Fri	Practice 1		10:30-11:30
Fri	Qualifying		14:00-15:00
Sat	Sprint qualifying		10:30-11:30
Sat	Sprint race		14:30 (17 laps)
Sun	Race		12:00 (51 laps)

So qually is still at a silly 2pm Friday time for the main Sunday race and then theres a pointless sprint qual and race on Saturday that is completely separate.

 

[Mr Jack]

Still not a fan of adding sprint races, but this looks substantially better than the earlier sprint format. Baku is normally a great circuit as well, looking forward to this.

Gonna be a real struggle for the rookies though.

 

[Dougsnake]

Oh god what are they doing.....

 

[Bald-Eagle22]

Ahh super sprint , bring it on .

 

[iamtheoneneo]

Love this track - always some dumb stuff that goes down. Should be a good weekend of entertainment.

 

[Feek]

Friday will see an FP1 session followed by qualifying, and this session will now set the grid for the GP on Sunday, rather than the grid for the Sprint on Saturday.

Indeed, Saturday will now see the FP2 session dropped for a further qualifying round, which will set the Sprint grid for the third-distance race later on in the day.

Dubbed the Sprint Shootout, Q1 will be 12 minutes, Q2 10 minutes and Q3 8 minutes long respectively. Each will be separated by 7-minute breaks and new tyres are mandatory for each phase, with mediums for Q1 and Q2, and softs for Q3.

F1 confirms changes to sprint weekend — GIVEMESPORT

F1 has confirmed the changes that are to be made for Sprint weekends, starting this weekend with the first of the year at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

apple.news

 

[Slam62]

If f1 is doing so well with a growing viewership why are they messing about with the format so much and what are they going to do next.?

 

[SKILL]

I can kinda 'get' the seperate qualifying for the sprint race, FP2 was kinda pointless anyway with the cars in Parc Ferme after the start of the Friday Qualifying. But why bring in some arbitrary tyre rule for the Sprint Qualifying?

 

[Mr Jack]

I can kinda 'get' the seperate qualifying for the sprint race, FP2 was kinda pointless anyway with the cars in Parc Ferme after the start of the Friday Qualifying. But why bring in some arbitrary tyre rule for the Sprint Qualifying?

I think there's two main reasons: (1) they've been talking about doing things like this for main quali and this lets them trial it before introducing it in real quali, and (2) they want something to make the two quali sessions distinct.

 

[iamtheoneneo]

If f1 is doing so well with a growing viewership why are they messing about with the format so much and what are they going to do next.?

I could be completely talking nonsense...but it sounds like its a push to make friday - sunday 'essential viewing' and gives them more leverage to up the price of the broadcasting rights.

 

[Mr Jack]

I could be completely talking nonsense...but it sounds like its a push to make friday - sunday 'essential viewing' and gives them more leverage to up the price of the broadcasting rights.

As I understand it, it's more about in-person ticket sales than broadcast rights. But that probably also factors into it.

 

[413x]

If I understand.. . Sprint race is now discrete? If you crash in sprint it now no longer affects the main race?

This is a good thing imo. Allows more daring moves and more last lap safety cars/red flags!

 

[ci_newman]

If I understand.. . Sprint race is now discrete? If you crash in sprint it now no longer affects the main race?

This is a good thing imo. Allows more daring moves and more last lap safety cars/red flags!

Except with the budget caps and the non-existent points, why are teams or drivers going to risk it? I bet every single team dials their engine down and lap times are no where near quali or full race pace.

A massive smash in the sprint could mean the car isn't re-built in time for the feature race the following day too.