Formula 1 arrives in Baku this weekend for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and early signs point to another largely favorable weekend for teams and drivers on the streets of the Caspian capital.

Thursday's opening practice sessions will see highs near 82F, with overnight lows around 72F. Wind will be a factor early on, averaging close to 11 mph with gusts up to 36 mph, which could complicate car balance on Baku's narrow street circuit. Track temperatures are forecast to hit a scorching 120F. 

Friday's practice and qualifying should bring slightly cooler air, in the high-60s to mid-70s Fahrenheit. Winds are expected to strengthen further, with gusts nearing 40mph, though skies should stay clear and dry. 

As reported by Formula One on their website for the race itself, temperatures are projected to fall between 68F and 79F, with track surface temperatures reaching into the high 100s. Winds should ease off slightly from qualifying day but will still play a role, blowing in from the north. 

Wind direction could prove especially important this weekend. Along Baku's long main straight, drivers are expected to face a crosswind during qualifying, shifting to a headwind on race day. That change favors overtaking, since cars trailing through the tow into Turn 1 should get a stronger slipstream effect. 

A rain system currently tracking eastward from Turkey is expected to weaken well before it reaches the region, pointing to a dry, wind-influenced weekend on the streets of Baku. 

Overall, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix looks set for a dry, warm weekend, with shifting winds adding an extra variable for drivers to manage. 

Before wrapping up, it's worth noting one scheduling quirk this weekend. 

Why is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix held on a Saturday 

This year's Azerbaijan Grand Prix won't follow the usual Formula 1 schedule, with race day landing on Saturday rather than the customary Sunday slot. 

The reason ties back to Azerbaijan's Remembrance Day, a national day of mourning dedicated to the military personnel of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces who lost their lives during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, which falls on September 27. 

To avoid clashing with the occasion, the promoter and government stakeholders asked for the whole weekend to be moved a day earlier, as reported by Crash on their website.

As a result, the entire timetable moves a day earlier as well. Cars first hit the track on Thursday, September 24, for FP1 and FP2, as drivers get acquainted with Baku's tricky street layout. By Friday, attention turns to FP3 and qualifying, which now decides the grid a full day sooner than fans are used to. 

Come Saturday, September 26, the race finally gets going, with the start set for 15:00 local time.  

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco