Ahead of the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Paul Williams, Chief Trackside Engineer, shares insights into the key technical factors that will shape the weekend.

What are the key technical challenges of Baku?
Paul Williams: One of the longest laps of the season, run through the streets of the city, with track width that varies from very wide sections to very narrow ones around the old town. The corner mix is equally unusual: Turns 8, 9 & 10 are tight and steeply uphill, a steep downhill run follows T15, and T17-T20 have previously been taken flat, effectively turning the start/finish straight into a 25-second full-throttle blast.

The surface was largely resurfaced in 2023 and is smooth, more akin to a permanent racetrack than a typical street circuit. Further resurfacing at Turns 2, 3 & 4 this year means understanding the grip level in that section will be a key focus on Friday.

Track temperature varies significantly through the afternoon as the surrounding buildings drop the circuit into shade, so car balance can shift noticeably within a single session.

Traffic and flag disruptions are a constant risk, alongside the difficult trade-off between finding a clear lap and picking up a tow down the long straight.

How do the 2026 regulations influence the approach this weekend?
PW: Baku is a medium-to-high energy sensitivity circuit, largely due to the extremely long run from Turn 16 to T1, where teams expect to use the full battery window in both qualifying and the race. Exiting T16 at 100% charge will be critical.

Most corners here are traditionally low speed, with anything high speed comfortably taken flat. However, the Turn 18-19 high-speed combination could pose a new challenge if the lower downforce levels of the 2026 cars result in a lift.

The MGU-K delay before opening a push lap will be the longest of the season on this straight, so teams may explore interesting options on the outlap. Whatever approach is taken, expect cars travelling at very different speeds down the straight depending on whether they're on a slow or fast lap.

Two SLM zones are defined for 2026, both active in the wet, though the activation point for Zone 1 has been reduced.

What are the tyre challenges of the circuit?
PW: Pirelli have brought the softest compounds in the range, well suited to the track's very low tyre energy density, but one step harder than the C4/C5/C6 allocation used in 2025.

The circuit generates high longitudinal energy through braking and traction, but low lateral energy, making it difficult to build tyre temperature.

The surface is smooth and low-grip, and expected to be dusty across FP1 and FP2. Combined with the circuit dropping into shade, track temperature variation around the lap is larger than typical.

In qualifying, achieving tyre warm-up on both axles is very difficult, which may push the soft towards becoming a multi-lap tyre.

In the Grand Prix, despite the low grip, sliding can be well managed in racing conditions, reducing tyre wear, while the long straights allow good thermal resets that benefit the softer compounds.

What are the strategic considerations for the race?
PW: A clear one-stop race, with all compounds expected to perform well. Low degradation across the range could favour racing on the soft, so watch for top teams saving a set in qualifying.