All you need to know about the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix track, the Baku City Circuit, including track statistics, records, and history.
The Baku City Circuit is one of the most famous street circuits in the world, even if motorsport has not fully taken off in Azerbaijan. The track winds through the famous sites of the capital, including a UNESCO World Heritage Site—the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower—and features the longest straight on the F1 calendar.
The track requires drivers to have nerves of steel and pinpoint accuracy, as one slight error of judgement could lead to disaster. Cars must also balance the need for downforce in the slow corners with the required speed on the long straights. Although crowds in Baku are not the largest, the fantastic street circuit is a treat for viewers watching at home.
Baku City Circuit Statistics & Records
First F1 Race: 2016
Lap Record: 1:43.009 - Charles Leclerc, Ferrari (2019)
Most Wins: 2, Sergio Perez & Max Verstappen
Most Wins by Constructor: 5, Red Bull Racing
First Azerbaijan GP Winner: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2025 Azerbaijan GP Winner: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
The first Grand Prix in Baku was held in 2016, as the European Grand Prix. That was followed by the inaugural Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2017.
Where is the Baku City Circuit?
The Baku City Circuit is located in the heart of Azerbaijan's capital, with the finish line running parallel to the Caspian Sea.
The circuit winds around the walls of the Old City—which dates back to the 12th century—before heading back towards the sea, where the modern skyline begins to emerge.
Baku City Circuit Track Guide, Layout and Turns
The Baku City Circuit is a 3.73 mile (6.003km) street track that contains 20 different turns. It is the third-longest track on the F1 schedule, behind only Spa Francorchamps (7.004km) and Jeddah Corniche Circuit (6.174km).
As the cars race around the walls of the Old City, the track narrows to just 7.6 meters in certain places, before opening up into the longest straight on the F1 calendar. The main straight that races down to the Caspian Sea is 1.367 miles (2.2km).
Drivers average around 124 MPH (200 km/h), topping out at 217 MPH (350 km/h on the long straight. The track has since been surpassed by Jeddah in Saudi Arabia as F1's fastest street circuit, but it remains one of the quickest tracks around.
Baku City Circuit History
The Baku City Circuit made it's F1 debut in 2016 as the location pf the 23rd European Grand Prix, before claiming it's own Grand Prix, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, a year later.
Niko Rosberg won the inaugural race in 2016, and Valtteri Bottas made use of the main straight and set the unofficial fastest speed ever recorded by an F1 car at 234.8 MPH (378 km/p).
Who Designed the Baku City Circuit?
The Baku City Circuit was designed by the notable Hermann Tilke. Tilke designed the layout for for Baku in 2016, and had free rein to to pick and choose which streets the drivers would race on.
The German's goal was to not only create a track that highlights the culture and history of Baku, but also create one of the fastest circuits in F1 history.
Tilke also designed the Marina Bay, Circuit of the Americas, Jeddah Corniche, Yas Marina, Istanbul Park, Sepang International, and many other famous F1 tracks.
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