T-VINE: Baku became one of most recognizable Formula 1 venues

Over the past decade, the Baku City Circuit has evolved into one of Formula 1's most spectacular, recognizable, and unpredictable venues, where high-speed sections sit alongside tight corners winding past medieval fortress walls, reads an article by the British publication T-VINE, which marks the tenth anniversary of Formula 1 racing in the Azerbaijani capital, Report informs.

"Formula 1 returns to Azerbaijan at the end of September, when some of the world's fastest drivers take on the spectacular and notoriously unpredictable streets of Baku.

The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be staged on Saturday, September 26, a day earlier than the traditional Sunday race slot. The change has been made out of respect for Azerbaijan's Remembrance Day on September 27, with the entire F1 weekend brought forward by a day. The race starts at 3 pm local time – 12 noon in the UK.

This year also marks a decade since Formula 1 first arrived in Baku. The city hosted the European Grand Prix in 2016 before the event became the Azerbaijan Grand Prix the following year.

The 6km Baku City Circuit has become one of F1's most distinctive venues, sending cars through the heart of the Azerbaijani capital, past its historic Old City and along the Caspian Sea waterfront. Drivers have to negotiate an exceptionally narrow section beside Baku's medieval walls before accelerating onto a 2.2km flat-out stretch, one of the longest high-speed sections in Formula 1.

That mixture of tight corners, high speeds and unforgiving barriers has given Baku a reputation for producing dramatic and unpredictable races, with crashes, safety cars and surprise results all featuring heavily during its short history," reads the article.

"This year's race comes with Kimi Antonelli (pictured above) firmly in control of the Drivers' Championship. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver has won eight races this season and arrives in Azerbaijan with 292 points, 81 ahead of teammate George Russell, following his latest victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.

Max Verstappen will also return as the defending Baku winner after dominating the 2025 race, when he started from pole and led every lap," T-VINE added.