Unfamiliar calendar slot but familiar conditions for Azerbaijan Grand Prix · RaceFans

Despite being held at a later time of the year than ever before, typically warm and dry conditions are expected for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

This year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix is being held in September for the first time – the latest the race has ever been held.

The Baku City Circuit first held a grand prix in 2016 as the European Grand Prix in June before it became the Azerbaijan Grand Prix the following year. The race moved earlier in the year to April in 2018 and 2019 before returning to its June slot in 2021 and 2022.

Last year’s event returned to late April as the fourth round of the 2023 championship – the third of a run of what would be five consecutive street circuits. For 2024 and next season, however, the race has moved once more to the final third of the championship in September.

Despite the early signs of autumn appearing in western Europe, Baku continues to be warm and dry with fairly typical conditions expected over the three days of running. Friday will be the hottest day of the weekend with a top of 30C ambient temperature between the first and second practice sessions.

There is a slight risk of rain for Saturday’s early sessions, but any rain that does fall is expected to be only very light. Qualifying on Saturday afternoon should be clear and warm, however, with temperatures back up to just below 30C.

Sunday’s grand prix will be the coolest of the F1 sessions, but only slightly. Morning clouds are expected to give way over the course of the race, meaning that it will be fairly normal conditions for the race.

Should the forecasts hold true, race conditions will be virtually identical to those of last year’s race, despite being held almost five months later in the year.

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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.