As Formula 1 heads into the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, much of the spotlight will be on the thrilling unpredictability of the Baku street circuit. Known for its long straights, narrow castle section, and dramatic incidents, Baku has quickly built a reputation as one of the sport’s most exciting venues. In 2016, Lewis Hamilton shared with BBC Sport just how thrilling it can be: “It has a combination of corners like Monaco and you really have to commit to corners with barriers on the exit, which is really tricky… I had my heart in my mouth. It is a real challenge to be on the limit.”
That blend of danger and precision has defined the circuit ever since — and within that chaos, Japan’s subdued but unmistakable presence continues to leave its mark.
Honda’s legacy in Baku
Red Bull’s victories in Azerbaijan during 2021 with Sergio Pérez and 2022 with Max Verstappen were achieved with Honda power. That success carried into 2023, when Pérez led home a Red Bull 1–2 finish ahead of Verstappen, further cementing the team’s dominance on Baku’s streets. These wins demonstrated that Honda’s engines could perform under the most extreme pressure, on a circuit where unpredictability is the only certainty.
As former Red Bull and AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly — a podium finisher in Baku — recently put it, “I achieved that success by driving cleanly and smartly, which is needed at such a challenging track like Baku.”
Known for its long straights, narrow castle section, and dramatic incidents, Baku has quickly built a reputation as one of the sport’s most exciting venues.
In 2025, the team arrives in Baku with renewed energy. Red Bull has welcomed Laurent Mekies as its new team principal, and Max Verstappen enters the race fresh from his record-breaking victory at the Italian Grand Prix. That momentum, combined with Honda’s technical support, has fans wondering if another victory on the streets of Baku is within reach.
Japan’s presence in Baku also extends to Yuki Tsunoda, who in 2021 secured a seventh-place finish here while driving for AlphaTauri — at the time his best result in Formula 1. Now competing for Red Bull, he returns to the same streets with the chance to add to his story, though the team’s focus will firmly be on maintaining the strong results they achieved at the last Grand Prix and building momentum as the 2025 season heads into its final eight races.
Global laps
The Baku Grand Prix is more than just another stop on the calendar. Following Verstappen’s Italian Grand Prix win in a Honda-powered Red Bull, fans are eager to see if that winning form can continue on Azerbaijan’s unforgiving streets. Japanese engineering has played a central role in Red Bull’s success, shaping results at the very top of Formula 1. This influence underscores how interconnected the sport truly is, with talent and technology flowing across borders to create world-class competition.
Where chaos meets glory
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix has delivered some of the most memorable moments of recent Formula 1 history. Fans recall the penultimate-lap collision between Carlos Sainz and Sergio Pérez in 2024, which shocked the paddock and reshaped the race outcome. Earlier, in 2019, Charles Leclerc’s crash into the castle section became one of the most replayed clips of the season, cementing Baku’s place in the meme culture of Formula 1. In 2021, a tense year in the championship battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, the race produced even more drama as Verstappen retired with a high-speed tyre blowout, while Hamilton’s late mistake at the restart cost him a chance at victory.
It is exactly this mix of danger and excitement that makes the circuit unforgettable for drivers as well as fans. As Max Verstappen shared in 2018, “Baku is a cool place so I enjoy going there and driving the track.”
Every race in Baku carries the promise of drama, from sudden safety cars to surprising podiums. It embodies what makes Formula 1 so compelling: the unpredictable mix of skill, technology, and pressure.
One sport, many voices
Formula 1 is more than a series of races. — it is a sport that connects cultures across 24 events, each season. The passion of Japanese fans in Suzuka, the devotion of the Italian tifosi in Monza, and the spectacle of night racing in Singapore all show how global this sport has become. Japan’s role, through both Honda and its drivers, continues to be one of the strongest voices in this worldwide conversation.
As race week approaches, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix promises high drama and global connection. Fans can expect breathtaking battles, unforgettable storylines, and a reminder of how Formula 1 thrives on cooperation across nations. Whether you follow the sport for the strategies, the technology, or the sheer spectacle, the race in Baku is one you will not want to miss.
