Azerbaijan Grand Prix F1 Preview
Red Bull Racing sits at the center of attention as Max Verstappen leads the world championship standings and Sergio Perez, his Mexican teammate, sits close behind. The team has dominated both major classifications, and the upcoming event shifts to the dazzling city circuit in Baku for the eighth round of the Formula 1 World Championship. This street race tests precision and speed in a modern metropolis that blends ancient charm with high stakes action.
Perez claimed his third Formula 1 victory recently on the streets of Monaco, his first win of the season, just as Red Bull announced a contract extension through 2024. He beat Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in a race interrupted by rain that blurred the start and trimmed the course. Charles Leclerc, the Monegasque driver who started on pole, finished second in the Principality last year and hoped for a repeat. Verstappen, the reigning world champion, started strong but finished the race in a challenging position due to strategic decisions by Ferrari. Fernando Alonso, racing for Alpine, finished seventh in that event, reflecting a season of intense competition among the sport’s top teams.
Verstappen remains atop the world standings with a clear lead and has been a dominant force this season. Leclerc sits in second place, trailing Verstappen by a solid margin, while Perez holds the third position, chasing the leaders with consistent pace. Carlos Sainz occupies fifth in the standings, with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, driving for Mercedes, close behind as the season progresses. The battle for the constructors’ title also remains tightly contested, with Red Bull pushing ahead of Ferrari and Mercedes in the early races of the year.
The Baku street circuit spans 6,003 meters and features twenty corners, evenly split between left and right turns, with two DRS zones and the longest straight of the year measuring 2.2 kilometers. The layout makes downforce crucial, but top speed on the long main straight is equally important. The design favours cars that can balance blistering speed with stable cornering, a challenge for teams seeking optimal setups for the city course. Red Bull has the advantage on paper thanks to its combination of power and handling, but Ferrari and Mercedes remain capable contenders on this track that resembles other modern street layouts in its need for high-speed stability through the straights and rapid changes of direction in the twisty sectors.
As teams prepare, engineers will hunt for a configuration that preserves downforce through the first two sectors while letting the car flex its speed on the long straight. This balance is essential for achieving competitive lap times and staying within the window for strategic pit stops that can alter the race outcome at crucial moments. The risk of oversteer or understeer in the tight sections makes tire management and brake cooling equally important across the weekend.
At Monaco, Perez faced a tough race and encountered a setback during a late stop that cost him potential victory. Sainz secured a strong performance from the second grid position, while Verstappen finished just behind him, contributing to a tight intra-team dynamic as the season unfolds. The results reinforced the ongoing rivalry among the leading drivers and underscored the tactical chess match that defines modern F1 racing.
Alonso had a mixed weekend, qualifying well but encountering difficulties during the race that left him finishing outside the podium positions. The season has seen a mix of high points and missteps for multiple drivers, including Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda, Kevin Magnussen, and other talented competitors who are all chasing meaningful results to shape the mid-season standings.
In the drivers’ standings, the current champion and multiple-world-title winner maintains a strong position, while his rivals push hard to close the gap. The championship narrative continues to evolve as different tracks offer new opportunities to gain valuable points. The coming races will test team strategy, driver form, and the resilience of the cars under a variety of weather and track conditions.
CALENDAR F1 GP AZERBAIJAN 2022
Friday schedule details follow the usual practice rhythm for a city circuit event. The weekend includes two practice sessions on Friday and another on Saturday, with qualifying determining the front row and the race Sunday afternoon. The format emphasizes pace, setup, and strategic calls from the pit wall that can swing in a single decision at a single stop.
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Free practice 1: 13:00 – 14:00 (CET)
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Free practice 2: 16:00 – 17:00 (CET)
Saturday brings a third practice session and the critical qualifying session that sets the grid. Teams analyze tire wear, balance, and fuel strategy to carve out the best possible positions for Sunday’s race.
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Free practice 3: 13:00 – 14:00 (CET)
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Classification: 16:00 – 17:00 (CET)
Sunday’s program is built around the main event. The race, featuring 51 laps, tests endurance and consistency as drivers push to maximize performance over the full distance on a demanding street circuit.
WHERE TO WATCH AZERBAIJAN FORMULA 1 GP
Viewers can stream the race live through supported broadcasters. The event is commonly shown on regional sports platforms and streaming services, offering multiple camera angles and onboard footage to capture every moment of the action. Viewers with access to subscribed networks may also find comprehensive race-day coverage including pre-race analysis and post-race interviews.