It's a fan favourite for a reason! Baku brings drama and exciting racing. Gear up for the Azerbaijan GP with our 5 must-knows before race day.
Home Of The Infamous “I am stupid” Line: Baku Brings The Drama!
Baku is a track with a well-earned reputation for delivering drama, and Charles Leclerc knows this as well as any driver. He’s had a particularly tough time here over the years, from crashing into the wall during qualifying in 2019 (giving us his now-iconic “I am stupid” line) to suffering a mechanical failure that turned his pole position into a DNF in 2022.
Charles Leclerc's "I am stupid" moment in qualifying in Azerbaijan
But Leclerc isn’t the only driver with Baku woes. The track’s unique combination of wide sections, big enough for three cars to go side by side, and tight, twisty corners where a small mistake can lead to a collision makes it a fan favourite and a stage for memorable drama.
Recent years have seen some standout moments. Max Verstappen's famous tyre kicking image was taken at Baku in 2021 after his tyre failed on lap 46 whilst in the lead. The resulting red-flag required a restart, which gave fans a thrilling three-lap dash to the chequered flag, which included a Hamilton race-destroying error and a surprise win for Sergio Perez. Additionally, the track has been home to infamous clashes between teammates; Verstappen and Ricciardo taking each other out of the race in 2018, and Vettel and Hamilton coming to blows behind the safety car in 2017 highlight Baku’s reputation for being an exciting and unpredictable race. It will definitely be one to watch!
2. Oliver Bearman Is Back In The Driving Seat
After an incredible, point-scoring F1 debut in Saudi Arabia, Oliver Bearman is back for his second race, and first full weekend.
Bearman will be swapping red Ferrari overalls for Haas white in his second F1 race. (Image Formula1.com)
Last time, it was Carlos Sainz's appendix that opened the door; this time, it's Kevin Magnussen's race ban doing the honours. No doubt he'll be eager prove Saudi was not a one-time thing and that he’s ready for F1. And while I’d love to see the young British driver take points again I'm keeping my expectations in check – the Haas might not offer the same experience as the Ferrari!
Still, as Bearman gears up to be a full-time Haas driver next season, a good race this weekend would have him and the team leaving Baku brimming with confidence. His performance is definitely one to keep an eye on!
3. The Red Bull Constructors Championship Lead Hinges on This Weekend: Can Perez Do Enough?
Just eight points separate McLaren and Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship. That’s a very narrow margin and one that feels inevitable for Red Bull to lose with McLaren's current form. The faint glimmer of hope for Red Bull fans? It rests on the shoulders of Sergio Perez. Verstappen can’t do it alone while Piastri and Norris are both performing well.
Constructors Championship points table after Monza (image via @F1 x.com)
Perez does have an excellent track record here and he did win the Azerbaijan GP last year, but the Perez of 2023 feels like a totally different driver compared to the Perez of 2024. For Red Bull to keep the top spot for another week would require a double disaster for the McLarens and a superb performance from both Red Bulls, which would be quite the U-turn from what we've been seeing in the last few races.
To provide some context on why this battle is important – last year, Red Bull had the Constructors’ Championship win wrapped up by race 16 of 22. This year, we can see how much the form between constructors has changed, and the all-important F1 sponsors will be seeing the same. For fans, it looks like we’re in for a battle until the end of the season, and Baku might be the race where we see our first lead swap!
4. Papaya Rules Will Get Tested Again
Whether anyone within McLaren will utter "Papaya Rules" again after the last two weeks of press remains to be seen. However, one thing we know after all the scrutiny and questioning is that “Papaya Rules” don’t prevent the team from favouring Norris in his battle for the Drivers' Championship.
McLaren avoid making a number one driver choice but an agree to bias Norris in strategy going forward (image https://www.theguardian.com/sport)
Team Principal Andreas Stella spoke to reporters this week, confirming, "We [will] bias our support to Lando, but we want to do it without too much compromise on our principles. Our principles are that the team’s interest always comes first. Sportsmanship is important in the way we race, and we want to be fair to both drivers."
This sounds clear on paper, but we have yet to see “Papaya Rules” truly tested. If a win is within reach, will Piastri step aside for Norris? On press day he stated he would, but once racing and when the nature of an ultra-competitive athlete kicks in? We will have to see! And with how close the two have been recently, we might get a chance to find out this weekend!
5. Off The Track For Red Bull Might Be As Important As On It
In addition to the battle to hold onto the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull is also facing a challenge with their driver options. They hold an exclusive option on Liam Lawson, but this option comes with a clause requiring them to secure Lawson a seat in F1 for 2025 . It's believed that the deadline to meet this clause is this Sunday. If so, if Red Bull don't make a decision by the weekend, Lawson will be free to explore opportunities elsewhere.
Liam Lawson has been frequently seen in the V-CARB garage this year. Is a move from spectator to driver imminent? (image Sky Sports)
This means we might see some driver announcements at Baku. And to add an additional layer of interest, although the decision seems to be between Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson for the V-CARB seat, the situation might change if Red Bull decides to invoke the performance clause in Sergio Perez’s contract.
So, while I doubt we’ll see everything resolved this weekend, we may start to see the first indications of whether Perez and Ricciardo will have secure seats for next year.
What are you looking forward to at Baku? We'd love to hear your thought below on what you think this weekend will bring!
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