Baku’s high speeds, close confines and low-grip surface are tricky enough at the best of times, so the competitors in this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be relieved to learn the conditions are not expected to add another challenge.
Three days of dry, sunny conditions are expected at the track, in contrast to the overcast 2018 race. Air temperatures are unlikely to get above 20C, which is typical for Baku at this time of year, though slightly cooler than the peak temperatures of around 25C seen during last year’s weekend.The 2018 grand prix was also notable for the strong gusts in the ‘city of winds’. These are also expected to be less of a problems this year, peaking at around 25kph on race day.
There is a slight chance of a few rain clouds during Friday’s practice sessions. However two days of sunshine are expected on Saturday and Sunday, with race day temperatures very close to what the drivers will experience on Friday.
Track temperatures are likely to reach the high 20s. Tyre warm-up is often a problem for drivers at this track, particularly due to the long straight approaching the start/finish line which gives the rubber ample chance to cool before the first braking zone.
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For more updates on the track conditions during each session keep an eye on RaceFans Live and the RaceFans Twitter account.
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Jere (@jerejj)
25th April 2019, 7:28
I wish this venue to shift back to a warmer time of year sooner or later, either back to June or to September, for example, which is also warmer than April.
Chaitanya
25th April 2019, 8:23
Overcut is the only strategy that works with these cold temps.
Chaitanya
25th April 2019, 12:59
I really like the fact that this change of time for Baku GP, this is remains the coldest GP on calender and last year it did throw quite a lot of challenges for drivers and team. I woild much rather this GP left in late april as added challenge for drivers.
Pironi the Provocateur (@pironitheprovocateur)
25th April 2019, 9:46
We haven’t had a wet race since Singapore 2017 (discounting the last year’s German Grand Prix with its short drizzle) and even then it was rather caused by the pre-race conditions. Does anybody know if this is an unusual streak or it used to happen in the past? I’ve been watching F1 for 16 years now, but I don’t remember such a dry season as the last year’s was.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
25th April 2019, 9:50
I don’t know what you’re talking about, it was good enough to knock the wind out of the sails of a certain championship contender, and he’s not recovered since. ;)
Pironi the Provocateur (@pironitheprovocateur)
25th April 2019, 10:00
That was not my point. There’re a difference between wet races and the rain affected ones.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
25th April 2019, 10:05
@pironitheprovocateur – I get it, I was just making a joke :)
Jere (@jerejj)
25th April 2019, 10:12
@pironitheprovocateur Well, based on that argument, the Singapore GP shouldn’t be regarded as a wet race either as it dried up later, and, therefore, became a dry-race and remained that way till the end. The last full (true) wet race was the 2016 Brazilian GP to be perfectly precise.
JohnBt
25th April 2019, 12:50
Singapore, wet race?
I don’t recall any at all.
Maybe slightly damp track which dried up before race.
Green and blue side walls used will be considered a wet race I thought.
Just hope it won’t be another boring weekend with a 1-2 silver cars again.
It’s getting rather unbearable IMHO.
James Brickles (@brickles)
25th April 2019, 14:23
I’d hazard a guess that between the 1985 Belgian GP and the 1988 British GP is longest streak of dry F1 races, but there might be some in the 70s, 60s, and maybe even the 50s that feature a longer streak.
KaIIe (@kaiie)
25th April 2019, 15:00
There were no wet World Championship races between 1957-1960. And as you said, in modern times the 1986-1987 dry season is the longest streak.
Source (this is pretty reliable): http://www.f1-facts.com/stats/weather
isaac (@invincibleisaac)
25th April 2019, 14:19
@pironitheprovocateur – Yeah this dry spell of races has been going on for ages. You used to get at least 2 or 3 wet races per season but now there are hardly any. Singapore 2017 was the last “properly wet” race, but I found the start-line crash disappointing as we didn’t get to see Verstappen’s wet weather skills again. I’m sure that there were several occasions last year where there was a “40% – 60%” chance of rain, but it never happened. If my calculations are correct there have been 16 rain affected since the beginning of 2010. But out of those 16 only 3 of them (Korea 2010, Japan 2014 and Brazil 2016) were wet the entire race and didn’t see any dry tyres used. I think that stat is quite shocking. Even when we do get a rare rain affected race the safety car usually ruins it a bit by staying out too long at the start. I’m glad they recently brought back the standing starts for a wet race … not that we get to see that anyway! A wet Baku would be amazingly chaotic, it’s just a shame that it won’t happen this weekend. A good wet race will show who really excels and I hope we get at least one proper one this year.