Baku, September 14, AZERTAC

The second day of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2024, hosted for the eighth time on the iconic Baku City Circuit, will feature a sprint race in which 10 F2 drivers will battle for qualifying for the pole position.

The Saturday’s race will also feature F1 third practice session and F1 qualifying session scheduled to be held at 12:30 and 16:00, respectively.

During the first day, which featured Formula 1 practice sessions, Formula 2 practice and qualifying sessions, Max Verstappen left it late to set the pace during opening practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as last year’s pole-sitter Charles Leclerc crashed out in his Ferrari.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc set the pace during Friday’s second practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, overcoming car problems to lead the way from Red Bull rival Sergio Perez and the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton.

Enzo Fittipaldi ended the Baku Free Practice session on top for Van Amersfoort Racing. The Brazilian set a 1:58.244 in what was a tough first session of the weekend.

Meanwhile, after a dramatic Baku Qualifying session, Trident F2 driver Richard Verschoor put in a sublime performance to take Pole Position.

With its narrowest point (the Turn 8/9 ‘Old Town’ complex), the circuit is just 7.6 metres wide, the length of the widest part of the track is 13 meters, which are situated along the Icheri Sheher (Inner City).

Baku City Circuit, with its winding streets, inclines, descents and breathtaking turns, is rightfully considered the fastest and most unpredictable of the F1 street circuits.

Despite street circuits becoming increasingly popular in Formula 1, Baku remains a standout event on the calendar. It is the only F1 track to skirt around a UNESCO world heritage site, with the section around Turns 8, 9 and 10 lined by the walls of the city's charming old town.

The long pit straight, which includes the high-speed kinks of Turns 18, 19 and 20, sees cars reach speeds in excess of 220 mph and invites overtaking at Turn 1. Races have a tendency to be either utterly chaotic or somewhat routine, but with the walls so close and the speeds so high, a race-defining safety car is only ever one small mistake away.

At just over 6.003km, the Baku City Circuit is the second longest circuit in F1.

It’s also F1’s fastest street circuit with drivers comfortably reaching speeds of approximately 370km/h along the 2.1km-long straight along Neftchilar Avenue, Baku city.

Moreover, many of the 20 turns are sharp, especially around Baku’s Old City, which leaves little room for error. So skill, discipline, teamwork and fortune are more important than car speed.