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Tyres NorthamptonThat impossible-to-call theme will continue on the Azerbaijani streets over the weekend at a circuit quite unlike any the sport has visited this year. We usually would have the Japanese GP around these dates, but a swap to geographically align F1's long-distance trips saw Suzuka come in Spring and this Baku trip moving to September. The long straights and 90-degree corners have created many memorable moments since the circuit's 2016 debut, and 2024 should be no different.
F1's news cycle is no longer limited to weekend write-ups. After Carlos Sainz and Jack Doohan's 2025 contract announcements before Zandvoort, then Franco Colapinto replacing Logan Sargeant ahead of Monza, it seems inevitable in hindsight there'd be more musical chairs before Azerbaijan. Yet it's not a driver move that caused headlines this time. Adrian Newey, Red Bull Racing's long-time CTO who resigned earlier this year, will move to Aston Martin as their Managing Technical Partner for 2025.
The long-awaited and much-speculated signing came after months of rumours that Newey, the aerodynamic brains behind 25 World Championships, might join Lewis Hamilton in moving to Ferrari. As Red Bull looks set to drop in the teams' standings by Sunday evening, the timing for Team Principal Christian Horner to answer questions about the switch couldn't be worse. By comparison, Aston Martin will be buoyant in Baku. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have not enjoyed the podium-fighting car they had in 2023 but can now hope for better times ahead.
Elsewhere, McLaren will look to lick their Monza wounds after being outstrategised by Ferrari to regain hope they can take both the Constructors' and Drivers' World Championship titles. Yet, the intra-team rivalry between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri could cost the former any chance of taking the crown. Piastri is rapidly improving, but Norris has the best chance of winning the championship. Will they implement team orders?
It's the softest three tyre compounds from Pirelli again in Baku. The drivers will use the C3, C4, and C5 tyres on their tours of F1's fourth-longest track as Pirelli stay consistent with their street circuit compound selections. Usually used by the public, the grip on the track will vary from Friday to Sunday to add more complexity.
Another tyre element to watch all weekend will be how the weather impacts stint lengths. F1 has not travelled to Azerbaijan in September before, and the temperature could catch some teams out with their strategies. The daytime mercury will vary between 24°C to 31°C across all three days with virtually no chance of rain falling. There will need to be some quick tyre learning to maximise a chance of victory.
Norris and McLaren were the ones to beat in Monza last time, but they weren't the ones to win. The Briton's Lap 1 disaster to drop from P1 to P3 ruined any hopes of victory. Losing positions in the opening miles of a race is becoming a worrying trend for Norris, who has scored three of the last four pole positions but has only one win in that period. Baku overtaking is (usually) limited to two corners, Turns 1 and 3, so perhaps he'll address that statistic in Azerbaijan – if he can clinch pole position.
One statistic that adds an unusual bit of spice for an already well-seasoned race is thanks to Baku's only multiple victor. Sergio Perez won here last year and again in 2021, while world champions Verstappen and Hamilton have only one P1 trophy. Conversely, the Mexican driver is the only representative from the 'big four' teams who hasn't tasted the winner's champagne in 2024. Could this be his chance?
Despite that Perez statistic, a Red Bull victory seems an unlikely possibility based on recent form. Verstappen qualified in P7, some seven-tenths from Norris, in Monza, and finished P6 in a standard race without stoppages. A McLaren win is the most likely outcome, but there's nothing certain in 2024, so keep an eye on Ferrari and Mercedes, too.
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The only consistent thing about the remaining start times throughout 2024 is that they're inconsistent. Azerbaijan will begin at noon on Sunday, with Qualifying at 1 PM on Saturday.
Qualifying – On air: 12:15 PM, Session start: 1 PM Saturday 14th September
Race – On air: 10:30 AM, Session start: 12 PM Sunday 15th September
Qualifying – Highlights: 7:30 PM Saturday 14th September
Race – Highlights: 4:30 PM Sunday 15th September
Qualifying/Race – No rain and plenty of sun is the story of the Baku weekend. 27°C is the highest the temperature will reach during the race on Sunday, and it's a similar story for Qualifying and Free Practice, too.