By Michael Doyle
Copyright abc
Oscar Piastri returns to the streets of Baku — one year on from a terrific victory — holding a 31-point lead in the Formula 1 drivers’ championship.
F1 enters the final third of the season with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, a race that has produced memorable moments since the street circuit was first used in 2016.
Piastri leads his teammate Lando Norris by 31 points in the fight for the drivers’ championship, while McLaren can secure a second consecutive constructors’ championship this weekend.
Here is what you need to know ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
When does the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix begin?
The Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held on Sunday, September 21.
Here is when the race will begin in each of Australia’s states and territories.
AEST 9pm: NSW, Vic, Qld, Tas, ACTACST 8:30pm: South Australia and Northern TerritoryAWST 7pm: Western Australia.
How can I watch the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
Fox Sports and its streaming platform Kayo will be broadcasting the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Those watching on Foxtel can watch the race on Fox Sports, channel 506.
You can also follow all the action with the ABC Sport live blog, from pre-race drama to the post-race synopsis.
ABC Sport will have a live blog of the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix from 7pm AEST on Sunday.
How can McLaren win the F1 constructors’ championship this weekend?
McLaren has dominated the 2025 season and is on the cusp of winning the constructors’ championship.
The question is not if McLaren can win back-to-back titles; it is when.
Heading into this weekend, McLaren has a gargantuan 337-point lead over Ferrari.
By the end of this weekend, there will be a maximum of 346 points left to achieve for a team.
McLaren will wrap up the constructors’ championship this weekend if they:
Outscore Ferrari by nine pointsAre not outscored by 12 or more points by MercedesAre not outscored by 33 or more points by Red Bull
Only once this season has McLaren failed to do those three things. That one weekend was in Canada when Norris crashed into the back of Piastri.
Norris scored zero points while Piastri finished fourth.
What do I need to know about the track?
The Baku City Circuit has just about everything.
It has one of the longest sections of track taken at full speed, with drivers applying full throttle from turn 19 through turn 20, past the start-finish line, and into the first turn.
After that, the circuit winds its way through the old town of Baku, with a mixture of 90-degree turns and medium-speed corners.
It is a street circuit, and parts of the track are only wide enough for one F1 car.
The slightest mistake in the narrow sections can end your race in the blink of an eye.
A rapid five-corner sequence from turns eight to 12, through the castle section, has caught out many drivers since the first grand prix in 2016.
The main straight, into turn one at the end of the DRS zone, is the best overtaking opportunity, followed by the 90-degree left-hander of turn three, at the end of the other DRS zone.
Fast facts about the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
First grand prix — 2016Number of laps — 51Lap distance — 6,003 metresRace distance — 306.049 kilometresFastest lap (in race) — 1:43.009 Charles Leclerc (2019)
