F1: Azerbaijan Grand Prix Preview and Betting Tips

After two old-school racing circuits, Zandvoort and Monza, the drivers face a different challenge at the Baku street circuit.

Last year, Oscar Piastri won the Azerbaijan GP ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who nicked pole position ahead of the Australian.

The current world drivers’ championship leader is the favourite for the win this weekend, closely followed by teammate Lando Norris and four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

McLaren has been so dominant this season that it could wrap up the constructors’ title this weekend. Finishing first and second, or first and third, would be sufficient to wrap up a consecutive championship.

Let’s unpack what we can expect in Baku this weekend.

The Track

Officially called the Baku City Circuit, it’s 6.003km long and features 20 turns. Despite being tight and twisty at places, it’s also quick. The two-kilometre-long straight will see drivers reach speeds of nearly 340km/h thanks to DRS. There’s a second DRS zone to aid overtaking, between Turns 2 and 3.

The section through the city centre is extremely narrow, winding through the city’s medieval walls, with one passage only 7.3 metres wide.

In terms of setup, the teams must opt for either downforce to be rapid in the twisty sections or a thin wing for less drag to dominate down the straights.

According to Pirelli, the nature of this type of circuit means the margin for error is minimal and the slightest mistake from a driver carries a high price. This means that the Safety Car can be a regular feature in qualifying and the race.

Who Are The Favourites?

There have been seven different winners in the last eight races here. Only former Red Bull driver Sergio Perez has won twice, and Leclerc has dominated in qualifying, scooping four pole positions in a row from 2021 to last year.

Piastri is the favourite to be on pole and take the race win. However, it’s hard to rule out Verstappen and Leclerc producing strong performances in qualifying. The four-time world champion is at 4.33 to take pole, with the Monegasque driver offering more value at 5.00.

For the race win, Verstappen is at 4.33 to take a second win in a row. Piastri is at 2.50 and Norris is at 3.00. The Englishman said he felt the pressure was off him to win the driver’s championship, as he is 33 points behind his teammate.

Look out for strong performances from Williams, Haas, and Sauber as they look to maximise the long straights and use their strong straight-line speed.

Predictions

Grand Prix Winner: Verstappen

Grand Prix Podium: Verstappen, Norris, Piastri

Pole Position: Leclerc

Top 4 and 5: Leclerc, Hamilton

Finish in the points: Albon, Hulkenberg, Bortoleto

Race Winning Margin: Under 5 seconds

Fastest Lap: Leclerc

First to Retire: Hadjar

First car to retire: Racing Bull

Most Team Points: McLaren

Both Cars Qualify for Q3 Shootout: Ferrari

Ferrari Practice 1/2/3 Winning Car: Leclerc / Ferrari

Safety Car: Yes

Fastest pit stop: Ferrari