TRACK CHECK: What makes Baku a special F1 circuit?
Baku has delivered one of the most bizarre F1 qualifying sessions on Saturday, which was partly down to the unique characteristics of the track, but also down to the windy conditions, which is often the case in the "City of Winds"
The Baku circuit is 6.003 kilometres long and winds its way through the old town and the more modern part of the Azerbaijan capital. It boasts 20 corners, many of them at 90 degrees. The main straight is very wide and has room for at least three cars to race side by side. However, in some sections of the old city such as turn 8, the narrowest of all, the track is only seven metres wide.
As is always the case on this type of circuit, the margin for error is minimal and the slightest mistake from a driver carries a high price. This means that the Safety Car can be a regular feature in qualifying and the race.
Speeds in Baku also vary wildly. The unofficial fastest top speed recorded in a Formula 1 event was set here by Valtteri Bottas who hit 378 km/h in qualifying for the 2016 race, but there are tight sections tackled at around 60 km/h.
That makes life difficult for the engineers when it comes to defining the level of aerodynamic downforce, seeking the most efficient compromise to ensure the car is competitive in both qualifying and the race.
