The FIA has confirmed two active aero 'Straight Mode' zones for the Baku circuit, which hosts the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this Saturday (26 September). It is the first time the system, which replaced DRS under the 2026 regulations, will be used on the Baku street circuit, and in tandem with Overtake Mode it looks set to make the fight into Turn 1 even fiercer.
Where they are, and why only two
According to PlanetF1 and F1 Live Pulse, the first zone starts at Turn 19 and runs down the 2.2km main straight to Turn 1, while the second covers the short straight between Turns 2 and 3. Unlike DRS, Straight Mode is not reserved for a chasing driver: every driver can switch the front and rear wings to a low-drag setting to gain speed on the straights. The number of zones varies from track to track, with PlanetF1 reporting none at the Monaco Grand Prix and a season-high five at the Belgian Grand Prix. Baku's limit of two is understood to reflect the need, on a street circuit, to preserve a safety margin before heavy braking into tight corners.
The combination with Overtake Mode is the one to watch
F1 Live Pulse singles out the link with Overtake Mode after Turn 16 as the reason Straight Mode matters so much in Baku. Drivers who stay close through Turn 16 can pick up the Overtake Mode advantage, then add Straight Mode and the slipstream (the tow from reduced drag) on the final straight to attack into Turn 1. Baku's high-speed straights already decide races, and with the 2026-spec active aero added, overtakes into Turn 1 are likely to become more frequent.
Timing of the announcement and what it means
The FIA announced the decision on Monday 22 September, in the week of the grand prix. Baku holds practice on Thursday (24 September) and qualifying on Friday (25 September) before Saturday's race (26 September), which will be the first real-world test of the active aero system on a street circuit. With battery deployment and drag reduction both coming into play on the 2.2km main straight, it is also expected to affect the teams' energy management strategies.