With the traditional, mid-season European Tour concluded, Formula 1® now heads into the final phase of the 2026 season, with a sequence of flyaway races, beginning with a trip to Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Round 15 of the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship™.

Formula 1 first came to the city on the western shore of the Caspian Sea in 2016, when the race was known as the European Grand Prix. The following year, it adopted the more natural title of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Since then, the event has established itself as a key fixture on the F1 calendar and a pioneer of a new generation of street races.

The Baku City Circuit runs through the heart of the city. Its start-finish straight uses the broad lanes of the modern coastal boulevard before the track winds through the Old City, passing the 12th-century Maiden Tower and the 15th-century Palace of the Shirvanshahs - both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The contrast between old and new makes for a uniquely challenging lap. The 2.2 km boulevard is the longest full-throttle section on the F1 calendar, delivering exceptionally high speeds. The remainder of the circuit is a more traditional street-race layout, featuring a succession of low-speed 90-degree corners. Finding a set-up compromise that delivers performance in both zones is a demanding challenge.

Azerbaijan may be known as the Land of Fire, but Baku is also known as the City of Winds. The city sits on a promontory in the path of the Khazri - a cold, fierce gale from the north - and the Gilavar, a warmer wind from the south. Which one arrives during race weekend can have a significant impact on performance, turning the main straight into either a tailwind or a headwind.

Much of the track is sheltered by surrounding buildings, yet the cars periodically emerge into the full force of the wind. Add the very low grip typical of street circuits, and the challenge becomes even greater. Used by normal road traffic for 51 weeks of the year, the Baku City Circuit lacks the layer of rubber that builds up on permanent circuits.

Combined with the low-drag set-up required for its long straights and the resulting high speeds, this makes the race - and particularly qualifying - notorious for red flags and Safety Cars.

Marcin Budkowski: "The sequence of flyaway races over the final few months of the Formula 1 season puts significant pressure on a racing team. There is pressure on our trackside team as they crisscross the globe; pressure on our manufacturing operation to keep up with the demands of multiple races compressed into a short period; and pressure on the race-support activities at the factory, where staff will work extremely unsociable hours to support the race team, often on the other side of the world. We have some new small aerodynamic upgrades to try in Free Practice as we continue to develop this year's car. As planned, Checo will also run the new spec Ferrari power-unit.

"It is a great test for our new team - and one that we relish. In only a decade Azerbaijan has developed a reputation for entertaining and dramatic races, and we have two drivers who are masters of the Baku City Circuit. It is a great place to start the run to the end of the year."

Both Cadillac Formula 1® Team drivers bring impressive records from the streets of Baku. Valtteri Bottas took a memorable victory from pole position here in 2019. He also finished second in 2017 and set the fastest lap in 2018. Perhaps his most famous moment at the circuit came during practice for the 2016 European Grand Prix, when he was clocked at 378 km/h (235 mph) - the fastest speed ever recorded on an F1® race weekend.

Sergio "Checo" Pérez has raced here eight times, winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2021 and 2023 and finishing on the podium in 2016, 2018 and 2022. He also set the fastest lap in 2022.

Checo Pérez: "Our race in Madrid was going very well until we had to retire the car, possibly the strongest we've been all season, and I'm eager to get back out and try to replicate that this weekend. Baku is a circuit where I've had a lot of success in the past, and the hope is to hit the ground running, get into a good rhythm across the practice sessions, and deliver a good result the team deserves."

Valtteri Bottas: "It's always an eventful week in Azerbaijan! The circuit has the longest straight in F1, but that doesn't take away from the rest of the track, which is very technical. You have to be very precise with your steering and throttle inputs and always be wary that the grip is low and the walls are close - but get those things right and the circuit will reward you. I've also got some great memories from Baku, having won there in 2019, so it's always a special place to come back to."