BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The qualifying session of the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix has started at the Baku City Circuit, Trend’s correspondent reports from the race venue.
The starting positions for tomorrow's main race will be determined based on the results of the session.
In the first practice session held yesterday, Mercedes driver George Russell finished first, Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen second, and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc third.
In the second practice session, Mercedes driver George Russell finished the session in first place. His teammate Kimi Antonelli came in second, while Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen finished third.
In the final third practice session held today, Max Verstappen finished the session in first place. George Russell was second, and Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton was third.
The Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku is being held for the 10th time this year.
The first Formula 1 race at the Baku City Circuit was held in 2016 as the European Grand Prix. Since 2017, the event has been held as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the Formula 1 calendar. The race was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Baku City Circuit is 6.003 kilometers long. Drivers will complete 51 laps in the main race, covering more than 306 kilometers. The track runs counterclockwise and features 20 corners.
The Baku circuit is known for its narrow streets, long straights, and barriers positioned close to the track. Along the section running beside the Old City walls, the track narrows to 7.6 meters, leaving drivers little room for error.
Baku is also known for producing unexpected results. Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen are among the drivers who have won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix twice. Verstappen won in Baku in 2022 and 2025, while Perez crossed the finish line first in 2021 and 2023.
This time, championship leader Kimi Antonelli arrives in Baku with an 81-point lead. The Mercedes driver has won eight of the first 14 races of the season and also took first place at the most recent round in Madrid.
This year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix will also feature a different Formula 2 format. Baku is the only round this season where Formula 2 serves as the sole support series. The schedule includes two qualifying sessions on Thursday, a sprint race and the first feature race on Friday, and the second feature race on Saturday.
Baku is also known for producing unexpected results. Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen are among the drivers who have won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix twice. Verstappen won in Baku in 2022 and 2025, while Perez crossed the finish line first in 2021 and 2023.
This time, championship leader Kimi Antonelli arrives in Baku with an 81-point lead. The Mercedes driver has won eight of the first 14 races of the season and also took first place at the most recent round in Madrid.
Special attention during the qualifying session in Baku will be focused on Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver secured pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix four consecutive times—in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. He holds the record for the most pole positions at the Baku round. However, Leclerc has been unable to convert any of these pole positions into a race victory.
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen put an end to Leclerc's streak by claiming pole position in Baku in 2025. Verstappen won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2022 and 2025. Should he win this year, he will become the first driver to triumph in the Baku race three times.
Qualifying sessions at the Baku City Circuit have also been marked by unexpected events in previous years. Last year's session was halted six times due to red flags, setting a new record in Formula 1 history in this regard.
The main race of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will take place on September 26. The drivers will complete 51 laps, covering a total distance of over 306 kilometers.
