Trackside at Baku City Circuit – 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Your trackside guide to Baku City Circuit & the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. On-track schedule, trackside attractions & post-race concerts

2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Tickets / F1 Experiences Packages / Baku Hotels / Baku Facebook Group

The 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix takes place from September 19-21

Dates are also confirmed for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 24-26

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After an uneventful first year, when it was known as the European Grand Prix, Baku has delivered several exciting races. The organizers have also improved the fan experience year on year after some initial teething problems With very few international visitors for the race, you definitely won’t be facing the traffic chaos, queues and other issues faced by many fans at some of the largest races this year. Taking a leaf out of Singapore and Abu Dhabi, Baku also puts on some big-name concerts. The concerts moved back to Crystal Hall in 2024, the venue Azerbaijan hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012. Will Smith and J Balvin performed as part of the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Formula 1’s sprint format has not been used in Azerbaijan since 2023, and format won’t return in 2025.

Entry to Baku City Circuit

Circuit Entry: You will be able to enter the circuit after scanning your e-ticket. You will receive a wristband, which will be required for re-entry on the same day.

Circuit Map: See above. Click here for an alternative map.

Access Gates: Six gates  provide access to Baku City Circuit (see map above). Most of the grandstands and off-track activities are located on the southern side of the circuit, closest to the waterfront boulevard (or Bulvar). To get around the circuit, there’s plenty of underpasses and bridges to help you cross the track. Due to road closures, it can also be quicker to use the metro to get from one part of the track to another. For example, the quickest way to get from the old town to the Fanzone is to take the Metro one stop from Icheri Sheher to Sahil.

Security / Prohibited Items: Fans are subject to a search and bag inspection when entering the circuit. Here is a select list of prohibited items at Baku City Circuit: alcohol, beverage containers (except for one clear plastic bottle of water: no more than 100 ml in size), food (excluding baby food), photo cameras with lenses exceeding 30 cm, any seating devices (chairs, stools), flags with handles exceeding 1m or with offensive texts/symbols/images, picnic hampers. Click here for more information.

Baku City Circuit: Need to Know

Post-Race Track Invasion: After the race on Sunday, it is normally possible to enter the track for the podium ceremony (the so-called ‘track invasion). Track gates are opened in the F1 Fanzone (Purple Zone) near the Absheron Grandstand.

Fanzones: The entertainment areas at Baku City Circuit are divided into several zones. The main F1 Fanzone (Purple Zone) is located behind the Absheron Grandstand on the start/finish straight, close to the seafront boulevard known as the ‘Bulvar’. There is no physical separation between the zones, so it’s possible to visit all of them. Learn more on the circuit website.

2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Schedule

On-Track Schedule: The full timetable of on-track action for the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix has now been published and is listed below. (The 2024 schedule is available here.)

Sprint Race: Baku is NOT one of the six circuits which will host an F1 Sprint in 2025

Support Categories: Formula 2 is the only support category at the 2025 Azerbaijan GP

Fanzone Opening/Closing Times: To be confirmed for 2025

Pit Lane Walk: A pit lane walk for holders of 4-day tickets will be held on Thursday from 16:30-18:00 (entry from 16:30 to 17:15). F1 Experiences also holds a separate pit lane walk for selected guests on Thursday. Guests of the F1 Paddock Club can take part in daily pit lane walks from Friday to Sunday.

Friday, September 19

10:00-10:45: Formula 2 – Practice Session

11:00-12:00: Paddock Club – Track Tour & Pit Lane Walk

12:30-13:30: Formula 1 – Free Practice 1 (FP1)

14:00-14:30: Formula 2 – Qualifying Session

14:40-15:35: Paddock Club – Track Tour & Pit Lane Walk

16:00-17:00: Formula 1 – Free Practice 2 (FP2)

Saturday, September 20

11:25-12:25: Paddock Club – Track Tour & Pit Lane Walk

12:30-13:30: Formula 1 – Free Practice 3 (FP3)

14:15-15:05: Formula 2 – Sprint Race (21 Laps or 45 minutes + 1 Lap)

16:00-17:00: Formula 1 – Qualifying

17:15-18:15: Paddock Club – Track Tour & Pit Lane Walk

18:15-19:15: F1 Experiences – Champions Club Grid Walk & Trophy Photo

Sunday, September 21

11:00-12:05: Formula 2 – Feature Race (29 Laps or 60 minutes + 1 Lap)

12:55-13:55: Paddock Club – Track Tour & Pit Lane Walk

14:44-14:46: National Anthem

15:00-17:00: Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025 (51 laps or 2 hours)

2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Pit Lane Walk

A pit lane walk for the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held on held on Thursday from 16:30-18:00 (entry only from 16:30-17:15)

The pit lane walk is open to all 4-day ticket holders (holders of 3-day General Admission tickets cannot participate)

The pit lane walk is a unique opportunity to walk down the pit lane and get a glimpse of the teams at work, as they make the final preparations to the cars ahead of the race weekend. If you’re lucky, you may even spot a driver or two!

The F1 Fanzone is also open on Thursday

F1 Fan Forum in Baku

Details of the Fan Forum at the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix won’t be announced until much closer to race weekend. 2024 information is published below for information purposes.

The popular F1 Fan Forum sees the drivers appear on the stage in the fanzone at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for a live Q&A. (In the past this has also involved an autograph session). The drivers from each team will appear on different days, more information is below. As the drivers do not around too long, we recommend getting there early if you want the best chance of seeing your favorite driver up close. The stage in the fan zone is located behind the Absheron (Main) Grandstand. Confirmed 2025 appearance times are listed below, and also available here.

F1 Fan Forum 1: Friday (10-35-11:15)

10:35-10:45: Racing Bulls (Liam Lawson & Isaak Hadjar)

10:45-10:55: Williams (Alex Albon & Carlos Sainz)

10:55-11:05: McLaren (Lando Norris & Oscar Piastri)

11:05-11:15: Kick Sauber (Nico Hulkenburg & Gabriel Bortoleto) & Aston Martin (Fernando Alonso & Lance Stroll)

F1 Fan Forum 2: Saturday (10:35-11:05)

10:35-10:45: Haas (Nico Hulkenburg & Oliver Bearman) & Ferrari (Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton)

10:45-10:55: Alpine (Pierre Gasly & Franco Colapinto) & Red Bull Racing (Max Verstappen & Yuki Tsunoda)

10:55-11:05: Mercedes (George Russell & Kimi Antonelli)

Azerbaijan Grand Prix Concerts

Martin Garrix and Anyma will headline the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Italian-American producer Anyma will perform on Friday September 19, while Glass Animals and Martin Garrix will be on stage after the track action on Saturday September 20. All 4-day grandstand ticket holders have free access to the concerts. (Holders of 3-day General Admission tickets do not receive free concert entry, but separate tickets are available for purchase). Confirmed concert times are listed below.

After holding concerts on a temporary stage in the fan zone post-covid (DJs Don Diabo & Hardwell performed in 2023), the concerts returned to Baku Crystal Hall in 2024. This is the impressive concert venue along the Bulvar (seafront boulevard) that staged the 2012 Eurovision song contest. Whilst it is possible to walk from Baku City Circuit to Baku Crystal Hall (about one hour on foot), the race organizer does offer shuttle transfers to F1 fans, which leave from near the Maiden Tower.

Friday, September 19: 21:00-24:00: Anyma

Saturday, September 20: 21:30-01:00: Glass Animals & Martin Garrix