Having returned to Monaco last time out after a one year absence, Formula One now return to the streets of Baku for the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Red Bull and Max Verstappen come into this race as Championship leaders for the first time since 2013 with respective one and four points lead ahead of Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, as a competitive title fight hits the streets of Baku.
Ferrari meanwhile will be looking to prove that their Monaco pace wasn’t simply an one-off as they battle McLaren for third, whilst Nicholas Latifi, Yuki Tsunoda, Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin all visit Baku for the first time as F1 drivers – although Latifi, Schumacher and Mazepin all previously raced here in F2 in 2019.
Now here is everything that you need to know ahead of 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Track Guide
Circuit: Baku City Circuit
Laps: 51
Race Distance: 306.049km
Tyre Selection: C3, C4 & C5
Schedule
| Date | Session | Time (BST) |
| Friday 4 June | FP1 | 9:30am |
| Friday 4 June | FP2 | 1:00pm |
| Saturday 5 June | FP3 | 10:00am |
| Saturday 5 June | Qualifying | 1:00pm |
| Sunday 6 June | Race | 1:00pm |
Six Key Pointers
- Baku requires much less downforce than Monaco so expect to see Mercedes back to their competitive best, especially with their car set to suit the high speed first and third sectors.
- After enjoying a strong weekend in Monaco in which Charles Leclerc snatched pole, this weekend will be a proper test of where Ferrari are in relation to Red Bull and potentially Mercedes.
- Expect to see plenty of overtaking into Turns One and Three given the super long straights although managing brakes will be key throughout the race weekend which is forecast to be hot.
- Verstappen is yet to finish on the podium in Baku but comes into this race in strong form with top two finishes in last six races, although he is yet to take consecutive race victories in F1.
- McLaren will be keen to improve their Qualifying record around Baku after only reaching Q3 once in four previous visits, although Daniel Ricciardo will need to raise his performance after a tricky Monaco GP.
- With red flags common throughout Azerbaijan GP weekends, maximising track time throughout Practice will be vital given the potential for session-ending stoppages at any moment.
Last Time Out
2020 saw the Azerbaijan GP fail to take place for the first time in its short history due to a worldwide lockdown caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, meaning that Valtteri Bottas is the last winner in Baku after taking victory from pole position in 2019.
Race Recaps
If missed any of the five previous rounds of the 2021 season, please click on the links below to catch up on the missed action.