Nicola Bariselli, Ferrari power unit track operations manager, explains the key challenges of the Baku City Circuit ahead of the 2022 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix:
What type of track is the Baku City Circuit?
Nicola Bariselli: “Baku is a street circuit but unlike any other. It is definitely atypical because in addition to the expected 90 degree corners, it also has a very low speed section, as well as particularly long straights. In fact this track has one of the longest straights of the season. It is demanding for the drivers, but Carlos, and Charles in particular, both like racing here.”
Why is this track considered particularly demanding for the power unit?
Nicola Bariselli: “Because the nature of the circuit means the power unit has to be versatile. The driver wants it to be nicely driveable in the tight and slow sections without however wasting energy, as it’s essential to be able to deploy it down the long straights. Outright power is also essential, especially when it comes to acceleration out of the many low speed corners, when going for a quick lap in qualifying as well as during the race”.
The track is mainly below sea level and it is usually very windy. How do these two factors affect performance?
Nicola Bariselli: “The ambient conditions have a significant effect on optimising the car-power unit package. The changes in intensity and direction of the wind in particular can produce different operating conditions in terms of speed through the corners, which therefore impact torque and gear ratio settings and time spent on the straight. It’s clear that a tailwind or headwind down the last straight can have an effect of several tenths of a second”.
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