BAKU, Azerbaijan — Formula 1 has announced a four-year extension for Baku’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, keeping the race on the calendar through 2030.
Baku’s race joined the F1 schedule as the European Grand Prix in 2016 before being repackaged as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2017. Its 6km street circuit which snakes along the coastline and through the city’s old town, featuring a famous section past an old castle.
It has become renowned as one of the more unpredictable circuits on the calendar, with chaotic, action-packed classics in 2018, 2019 and 2021. With a higher demand than ever before from new venues looking for space on the schedule, Baku appeared to be a venue at risk of dropping off, with its previous deal ending in 2026.
On Saturday, ahead of the eighth edition of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, F1 put those immediate fears to bed with the announcement of a new deal.
F1 boss Stefano Domenicali said: “There’s an incredible energy to the city of Baku and since our first Grand Prix here in 2016 Formula 1 has consistently received a warm and enthusiastic welcome from the people of Azerbaijan. The circuit is unique, with technical sections and long straights that run through the stunning shoreline and historic old town, delivering an eventful and entertaining race every year.
“This renewal reflects the strong trust and commitment between Formula 1, the Azerbaijani Government, and the promoter, and paves the way for an exciting future in the country.”
While it has served up classic events in the past, Baku’s event has failed to have the same impact as some of F1’s newer venues like Miami, Las Vegas or existing street circuits like Singapore.
Baku’s paddock is renowned for being one of the quietest of the season, with teams often entertaining limited guests and with a much lower number of paying paddock VIPs than Formula 1 events have become accustomed to in the current boom of popularity. Until last year, Baku had been a fixture of the first half of the season, but was controversially made a back-to-back with Miami in 2023, creating a logistical nightmare for teams.
In 2024 it shifted to the other end of the calendar, as a standalone between Italy and Sinagpore, a position it retained this year.
