Baku circuit to undergo pitlane change to improve safety

The Baku circuit in Azerbaijan is to undergo some minor tweaks to the pitlane entry in time for next month’s race.

The race around the city’s streets has been on the calendar since 2016, and the pitlane entry has been a talking point throughout this time with concerns raised about its safety. The FIA had previously defended the layout but have now requested that the changes are made.

The entry is at the end of a long straight with cars reaching top speeds. Any driver looking to enter the pitlane is forced to slow the car down significantly before navigating a tricky chicane. The high-speed failures suffered by Lance Stroll and Max Verstappen on the straight at last year’s race have further highlighted the need for a review.

Race promoter Arif Rahimov has confirmed that the changes are being made in response to the FIA’s request.

“We are slightly changing the pit lane entrance,” he said.

“There are no changes to the track itself, but we’ve been requested by the FIA to slightly modify the pit lane entrance so it’s a little bit safer.”