Preview – F2 Round 12 – Baku

The FIA Formula 2 Championship has completed its eight-race stint in Europe and is now bound for Azerbaijan for the first of the three flyaway events that will bring an utterly compelling season to a potentially dramatic conclusion.

Compelling for the fans, frustrating for Hitech. In recent rounds we’ve fought hard to regain the encouraging early season momentum that kept both the drivers’ and teams’ titles in our sights. While full focus and the tenacity of our drivers are in no short supply, small mistakes can have a devastating impact on the shape of a race and points margin. Every practice, qualifying, Sprint and Feature will be critical as things go down to the wire.

As we head to Baku for Round 12 this weekend, Paul Aron will be coming from behind in fourth place and with a 41-point deficit to recover. It’s a challenging but not insurmountable endeavour, and the combined efforts of both Paul and teammate Amaury Cordeel could also help transform Hitech’s place in the teams’ standings, with a top three position still a target, along with the team’s elusive first victory.

The Baku City Circuit is located on the shoreline of the Caspian Sea and nestled between the old and new worlds of Azerbaijan. At 6km it is one of the longest tracks on the calendar and always delivers the exciting racing for which street circuits are renowned. This one features a 2km flat-out blast of a straight that runs along Baku Boulevard on the seafront and provides a good overtaking opportunity. Conversely, it also features the narrowest section of track at just 7.6m wide – strictly single file.

The big challenge in Baku is getting the balance right to contend with both the long straights and the tight corners, as well as the changeable track temperature between the wide-open sections and the tree-lined avenues through the historic district. Frequent safety car interventions can also be critical in determining an adaptable Feature Race strategy.

Although the Formula 3 season has reached its conclusion, we’ll also be rooting for Hitech’s Luke Browning as he steps up for a three-race Formula 2 opportunity with ART.

Friday 13 September

11:00 Free Practice

15:00 Qualifying session

Saturday 14 September

14:15 Sprint Race (21 Laps)

Sunday 15 September

11:35 Feature Race (29 Laps)

Grid set by reversing Top 12 of Qualifying Results

All times local