Baku City Circuit has confirmed it will make some changes to the pitlane entry ahead of the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix which takes place next month, as they attempt to improve the area’s safety given the events that took place in the 2021 F1 race.
The profile and speed of the Baku pit entry chicane has sparked a lot of discussion ever since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was added on the calendar six years ago, as cars have to slow down rapidly from top speed. In 2021, though, the scrutiny intensified when former Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg said that it as one of the most dangerous areas on the Formula 1 calendar.
“Imagine something breaks on the car here,” – he explained in a video ahead of last year’s race – “You’re at 350 kph. On the left, there’s just a wall, and it’s facing you. If something breaks and you’re in that wall, it’s the end, there’s no more you. This is one of the most scary places I’ve ever driven an F1 car in. To go by there just feels ridiculously wrong. But you have to try and blend it out.” – he added.
Former Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel also felt after last year’s Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll both had to retire due to failures on the start-finish straight, that the Red Bull and Aston Martin drivers were lucky not to end up spinning near the pit entry.
At that moment, the FIA was fast to defended the design of the Baku circuit and felt there was no need for any type of changes in this regard, but now it seems that some changes will indeed be made ahead of next month’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Arif Rahimov, Executive Director of the Baku City Circuit, explained earlier today that the entrance was being redesigned with the goal of improving safety at track.
“We are slightly changing the pitlane entrance.” – the Azerbaijani politician who served as the Minister of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan Republic said – “There are no changes to the track itself, but we’ve been requested by the FIA to slightly modify the pitlane entrance so it’s a little bit safer. We’ll see how it goes. Drivers don’t typically make many mistakes on entering the pitlane.” – he continued.
Arif Rahimov explained said these are the only changes planned for the 2022 Formula 1 event, despite the fact that the situation regarding kerbs – which can create even more difficulties for the current generation of Formula 1 cars – would be evaluated over the race weekend.
“Sometimes the drivers come in and they do their practice session and they say, ‘okay, at that spot there, the steel kerb there needs to go or we need to add it.’ For the turn next to the Old City, the narrow section, we’ve been playing with the kerbs since day one. We’ve been adding it and removing it and then adding it again, so you can’t really know until the cars hit the tarmac.” – he said.
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The current agreement between Baku and Formula 1 expires in 2024 and race and the Executive Director of the Baku City Circuit admitted that talks regarding a potential new deal have not yet started. However, one thing he was especially eager to point out was for Baku to secure one of the six sprint races that are being planned for the 2023 Formula One season. He said it was something he wanted to address with Formula 1 bosses in June, when this year’s event will take place:
“That is on my agenda for this year’s race,” he said. “With how busy F1 is right now, I think the best time to get their attention into the novelties is when they’re here actually racing. I’m a big proponent for it [the sprint races]. I really like the idea. I think it’s good to just mix things around a little bit throughout the years.Things can get boring when people get too used to the same format, and then they lose their interest. So when these sort of changes come in, I think it’s good for the sport.” – he concluded.
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