BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 24. The Azerbaijan
Grand Prix of Formula 1 kicks off today, with Baku hosting the race
for the 10th time.


The race weekend will begin at 10:45 with a Formula 2 free
practice session. The first Formula 1 free practice session will
start at 12:30.


This will be followed by two Formula 2 qualifying sessions. The
first day of racing will conclude with the second Formula 1 free
practice session.


On September 25, Formula 1 free practice sessions and the
Formula 2 sprint race will take place. Finally, the main race will
be held on the final day, September 26.


Twenty drivers representing 10 teams will compete for the title,
while the race track is 6 kilometers long. The Baku City Circuit
(BCC) will host some of the world's most renowned drivers,
including Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Max Verstappen, Charles
Leclerc and others.


The Baku circuit, considered one of the longest on the Formula 1
calendar, features 20 turns. Starting from Azadliq Square, the
track runs around the Government House, then circles Icherisheher
before making a 2.2-kilometer loop to the Maiden Tower and
returning to the starting point via Neftchilar Avenue. The track,
which consists of 51 laps, is 13 meters wide at its widest point
and 7.6 meters at its narrowest, in sections around Icherisheher,
including Turns 7 and 8. The counterclockwise circuit was designed
by renowned German architect Hermann Tilke.







During the race, drivers and millions of television viewers will
witness a spectacular panorama combining Icherisheher, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site, the capital's modern architectural landmarks
and the Caspian Sea waterfront.


The race's start and finish lines are located on Azadliq Square.
The Paddock Club, team garages and pit lane are also situated
here.


This year, a new grandstand called City has been installed at
the BCC. Located opposite the Azerbaijan State Academic Musical
Theatre, it can accommodate 678 spectators. With the opening of the
new grandstand, the total seating capacity of the grandstands at
the BCC has exceeded 21,000.


Azerbaijan has hosted the world's most prestigious motorsport
competition since 2016. The first Formula 1 race organized in the
country was called the European Grand Prix. It was won by German
driver Nico Rosberg. In subsequent years, Daniel Ricciardo
(Australia), Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom), Valtteri Bottas
(Finland), Sergio Perez (Mexico), Max Verstappen (Netherlands) and
Oscar Piastri (Australia) respectively took the top step of the
podium. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was not held only in 2020 due to
the coronavirus pandemic.