5 things to know about the newest F1 venue: the Baku City Circuit

It’s already February and most petrol heads know what that means- time for winter testing!In other words, the curtain for the 2016 season is about to be raised. The Renault team already drew first blood by being the first to launch their new livery (well sort of) but that’s another story. So what’s new? A brand new team called Haas F1, and a record breaking 21-race calendar! The newest addition is the Baku Street Circuit in Azerbaijan. On paper it is officially known as the European GP.One thing that is synonymous with street circuits is the overtaking or the lack of it. So let’s check out 5 things to know about the Baku Circuit.

#1 It\'s A Hermann Tilke Circuit

Tilke’s usual style is designing corners, which promotes fast and interesting races but tries its best to keep the racing as close as possible. However many experts are critical of him and his design,s even going as far as blaming his circuits for the lack of excitement and overtaking.

Formula One Legend Sir Jackie Stewart even labeled Tilke’s track designs carbon copies of each other.

For the Baku circuit he has added a mix of angled corners as well as many tight left-right-left sequence corners. To keep the competition exciting Tilke has incorporated certain elements of his other well-known circuits like Istanbul Park and even Baku’s Turns 8, 9, 10 resembles the Singapore Sling.

#2 It Is Very Narrow In Certain Parts Of The Track

Baku’s Maiden Tower towers over the narrowest part of the track

This is obviously a concern for many drivers and teams because the driver’s safety is a top priority. Another factor will be that the narrow width of the track, especially when heading towards the Maiden Tower, will limit overtaking and turn the race into a procession in the middle of the race. But off late many drivers have proven that overtaking is possible especially in Monte Carlo, which is considered the Ultimate street circuit.

All a driver needs to pull off a risky overtake is ample space to stick the car into, complete trust in the other driver that he or she will not put you in the wall, and of course nerves of steel. Daredevil drivers like Sergio Perez, Max Verstappen and the late Jules Bianchi showed the world how it was done in Monaco especially when Bianchi muscled his way past one of the Caterhams while on his charge to that Brilliant 9th place to earn Marussia their first points.

#3 Six 90-Degree Corners And An Uncanny Resemblance To Istanbul\'s Diabolica

Several of the turns are reminiscent of Istanbul Park, the home of the erstwhile Turkish Grand Prix

As many critics have pointed out Tilke’s circuit are mostly angular in nature and there are at least six 90-degree corners. The first of these is Turn 1 and the rest follow in a sequence of 3 left hand corners before suddenly veering right at Turn 4, then comes a small kink and then the car arrives at Turns 5 and 6 which are again 90 degree corners in a left-right sequence. After Turn 11 comes a series of left-handers starting from Turn 12 until a sharp left and hard on the anchors at Turn 16.

This series of corners vaguely resembles Istanbul Park’s Turn 8, which has become one of the most famous corners in Formula One.

#4 A Very, Very Long Straight

Long straights mean DRS zones – and this could promote overtaking in a track full of turns

The front straight has been measured at an astounding 2.2 km. that means a huge chance to deploy the DRS system and drivers can go full throttle before hitting the anchors for the first of the 90-degree corners. Drivers can go flat out after exiting Turn 19 and passing Turn 20 which is a slight corner that can be taken without braking.

Cars going at high speed and a hard braking point only spells bold overtaking moves and maybe the odd shunt if someone overcooks the move.

#5 It Is An Anticlockwise Circuit

Like the Yas Marina Circuit (pictured), Baku is anticlockwise

So on we go to a banker lap around this anticlockwise circuit and may I remind you ladies and gentlemen to please keep you arms and legs in the car at all times. The front straight is an astonishing 2.2 km long, then braking hard for Turn 1, 2 and 3, all of which are 90-degree left hand corners and then it spits the car out into another 90-degree corner this time going in the opposite direction. Following that is a short straight before braking hard for a left-right sequence that is Turn 5 and 6.

Another short straight later is a series of tight and twisty corners that could easily catch out an unsuspecting driver, This section consists of Turns 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. After exiting Turn 12 the driver faces Turns 13, 14, 15 and 16 all of which are left hand corners and they initially start of gentle before tightening into Turn 16. Turns 17, 18, 19 and 20 are long sweeping right-left-right combinations all of which can be taken flat out and Turn 20 slingshots the car back to the start-finish straight.

It joins the other four anti-clockwise circuits on the current calendar – Interlagos – the home of the Brazilian Grand Prix, Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi, CoTA or the Circuit of the Americas, home to the US Grand Prix, and Singapore’s Marina Bay circuit, which like Baku is also a street circuit.