Baku City Circuit, Street Circuit

The Baku City Circuit is a temporary street course laid out through the centre of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, running along the Caspian seafront and through the historic old town. Motor racing in the city began in 2012 with a GT City Challenge event around Government House, before a relocated and longer course hosted Blancpain GT rounds in 2013 and 2014. For Formula One, Hermann Tilke designed an entirely new layout that opened in 2016, initially hosting the European Grand Prix before becoming the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The course is one of the longest temporary circuits in modern motorsport at roughly 6.003 km, combining a tight, twisting castle section past the medieval old town with sweeping boulevards. Its defining feature is a flat-out run of around 2.2 km along the seafront to the start line, making it one of the fastest stretches in Formula One. Drivers praise the many heavy braking zones and genuine overtaking opportunities, with Daniel Ricciardo noting it offers far more places to pass than Monaco or Singapore. The circuit takes in landmarks including Government House, the Presidential Palace and the old city walls. Early editions suffered teething problems such as loose drain covers that damaged cars, but the track has gained a reputation for producing dramatic, unpredictable races. It holds FIA Grade 1 status and remains a fixture of the Formula One calendar.

Operated by: Azerbaijan Grand Prix LLC