BAKU, Azerbaijan, September
26. The opening ceremony of the 10th Formula 1
Azerbaijan Grand Prix has taken place at the Baku City Circuit.
This was reported by the Baku City Circuit Operations
Company.
According to the report, the National Anthem of Azerbaijan was
played before the start of the main race.
The anthem was performed by People's Artist of Azerbaijan and
world-renowned tenor Yusif Eyvazov.
The winner of the milestone Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be
determined in a few hours. At the end of an intense 51-lap race,
one of the drivers will stand on the top step of the podium and
lift the main Azerbaijan Grand Prix trophy.
The report noted that the trophy's design incorporates the image
of a flame. This element symbolizes Azerbaijan's reputation as the
"Land of Fire."
Patterns inspired by Azerbaijani carpet-weaving traditions also
feature on the sides of the trophy. Thus, the design of the trophy
reflects a fusion of Formula 1's dynamism and Azerbaijan's rich
national heritage.
This year's event marks the 10th Formula 1 race held in
Azerbaijan. The first Formula 1 race at the Baku City Circuit took
place in 2016, while since 2017 the event has been included in the
Formula 1 calendar under the name of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The main race at the Baku City Circuit will consist of 51 laps.
The length of one lap is 6 kilometers, and drivers will cover a
total distance of more than 306 kilometers during the race. The
anti-clockwise track features 20 turns.
The Baku race is known for its narrow streets, long straights
and barriers located close to the track. On the section running
along the walls of the Old City, the track width narrows to around
7.6 meters. These characteristics create overtaking opportunities
while also increasing the consequences of driver errors.
Previous Azerbaijan Grands Prix have also been marked by
unexpected results. Sergio Perez won in Baku in 2021 and 2023,
while Max Verstappen claimed victories in 2022 and 2025. If
Verstappen wins today, he will become the first driver to win the
Azerbaijan Grand Prix three times.
The Baku race is also significant for Ferrari driver Charles
Leclerc. He secured pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix four
consecutive times from 2021 to 2024. However, the Monegasque driver
was unable to convert any of those pole positions into victories.
Starting second after yesterday's qualifying, Leclerc will aim to
secure his first win in Baku this time.
This year's race is also important in terms of the championship
battle. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has won eight of the first
14 races of the season and arrives at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as
the championship leader. He holds an 81-point advantage over his
teammate George Russell.
Thus, the main race of the 10th Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
will start today in Baku. The outcome will determine both the
winner of the Azerbaijan round and possible changes in the
championship standings.
