Azerbaijan Grand Prix facts and stories from meaning to longest straight in F1

Formula 1 travels to Baku City Circuit for first time in two years for Azerbaijan Grand Prix this week. Having me its debut five years ago as European Grand Prix, Baku has delivered some of best races in modern-day F1. Here's a look at some of Azerbaijan Grand Prix facts, including longest straight in F1 as well as 2021 Azerbaijan GP schedule. 

Azerbaijan Grand Prix facts: Longest straight in F1

Baku City Circuit was designed by Hermann Tilke, who has been responsible for laying out so many of F1’s newest tracks. It’s located right in heart of city, close to main promene on Caspian Sea. In dition to many long straights that make it ‘fastest street circuit in world’, Baku circuit also includes a very narrow section (turns 8 through 12) next to old city walls. At 6.003km, Baku City Circuit is second-longest on current F1 calendar after Spa Francorchamps (7.004km).

Azerbaijan street circuit also features a long 2.0km 'straight' from Turn 16, with drivers staying full throttle until heavy braking zone at Turn 1. This les to a slipstream fest, and it would be interesting to see how teams take vantage of it in qualifying. circuit n gets narrower as it reaches Old City, with some sections only 7.6 metres wide.

Azerbaijan GP preview: Verstappen les F1 championship standings

Red Bull hes to Baku with renewed confidence following Max Verstappen's dominant victory in Monaco, aided by a weekend to forget for chief rival Mercedes. unique demands of Baku, with its mixture of long straights and 90-degree turns, get engineers scratching ir hes, so Mercedes cannot afford to get set-up wrong and let Red Bull extend its le in championship.

Carlos Sainz Jr opens up on Azerbaijan GP circuit

Carlos Sainz Jr linked up with Ferrari for 2021 season as a replacement for four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, joining Italian team after spending two years with McLaren. Spaniard n highlighted that Azerbaijan GP was up re as one of his favourite racing tracks.

He said, “ podium finish in Monaco was important because it was a sort of reward for all work we have done so far this season. I was pleased to see that we were competitive in Monte Carlo, but here in Baku, I expect hierarchy will go back to one we have seen in or races this year, with very small gaps between cars in group right behind two teams at front. As for track, it is quite special and I think all drivers like it here."

Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2021 schedule, Qualifying and race timings: What time is Azerbaijan Grand Prix? 

Friday, June 4, 2021

• Free Practice 1: 12:30 - 13:30 local time (2:00 PM - 3:00 PM IST)
• Free Practice 2: 16:00 - 17:00 local time (5:30 PM - 6:30 PM IST)

Saturday, June 5, 2021

• Free Practice 3: 13:00 - 14:00 local time (1:30 PM - 2:00 PM IST)
• Qualifying: 16:00 - 17:00 local time (5:30 PM - 6:30 PM IST)

Sunday, June 6, 2021

• Race: 16:00 - 18:00 local time (5:30 PM - 6:30 PM IST)

Image Credits - Formula1.com