Only two drivers have won more than once on the Baku street circuit: Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, with two victories each. This Saturday Perez arrives in Baku driving a Cadillac that has not scored a single point in 14 rounds. RacingNews365 singles out this weekend as a "rare shot" for Cadillac to get off the mark.
Ten years of Baku, two double winners
| Year | Winner | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes |
| 2017 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull |
| 2018 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes |
| 2019 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes |
| 2021 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull |
| 2022 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2023 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull |
| 2024 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 2025 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
GPFans' records show that nobody has yet won in Baku in consecutive years, and that Red Bull has won five of the nine races. Only three drivers have converted pole into victory: Rosberg (2016), Bottas (2019) and Verstappen (2025), while Ricciardo won from tenth on the grid in 2017. Charles Leclerc took four straight poles from 2021 to 2024 but has never won.
According to RacingNews365, Perez started his 2023 win from third on the grid, and in 2021 he benefited from a crash for race leader Verstappen. The outlet argues that Perez's technique, built around rear stability and progressive throttle application out of slow corners, suits what Baku demands, since heavy braking at the end of the straights and 90-degree corners reward precise pedal work.
Cadillac: 14 rounds, zero points, best result 13th
Cadillac has zero points after 14 rounds of its debut season. Its best result is Valtteri Bottas's 13th in China, while Perez's best is 14th, in Barcelona and at Silverstone. He scored a point in Monaco but lost it to a post-race penalty. At Monza the team managed a double finish in 18th and 19th. The problem is too much drag and not enough downforce.
Madrid did offer some hope, though. Perez said that before retiring with a coolant leak he had been "basically on the same pace as Albon the whole race". Team principal Marcin Budkowski said "there is a lot of performance to unlock in understanding the details of energy management", calling it the factor that separates the performance.
New Ferrari engine and aero upgrade for Baku
In Baku Perez is due to receive the new-spec power unit Ferrari gave Hamilton, Leclerc and Bearman at Monza, an upgrade aimed at the straight-line speed deficit to Mercedes. According to BVM Sports, Cadillac is also bringing a few aerodynamic upgrades. RacingNews365, however, believes the aero deficit may remain even with the new engine.
"Baku is a race where you have to put everything together and see how it goes," Perez said. "I really hope that with the new engine we can make at least some progress. We need a bit more." Of the rest of the season, he added: "Like the first half, it will probably be a very painful end to the season. That's what we expected." Bottas also said: "The car is still not solid enough, and it needs to get a lot faster."
There are other storylines this week. According to the official F1 website, attention is on the return of Isack Hadjar, who injured his wrist during the summer break and missed Zandvoort, Monza and Madrid, while Williams, ninth in the constructors' standings, six points behind Audi and ten behind Haas, brings its promised upgrade to Baku.
Sources
- RacingNews365 — Why Sergio Perez offers Cadillac a rare shot to break F1 points duck in Baku
- RacingNews365 — Sergio Perez shares Cadillac Baku plan as painful prediction made
- Formula1.com — It's race week: 5 storylines we're excited about ahead of the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
- GPFans — Azerbaijan Grand Prix records: who's won, who's poled, and what could fall in 2026
- BVM Sports — Cadillac braced for 'significant pressure' of F1 triple-header