Safety Car outings are common at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with Baku City Circuit providing often unpredictable races. Here’s a list of every time that the Safety Car or VSC has been deployed in Azerbaijan.
2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 12
The first race at Baku City Circuit – the 2016 European Grand Prix – passed without a Safety Car intervention. The first Safety Car period at the track came on the 12th lap of the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, when Daniil Kvyat came to a stop on the side of the track.
2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 17
No sooner had the Safety Car returned to the pits before it was deployed again. This time, Kimi Raikkonen left debris from his bargeboard strewn across the main straight. As the mess was cleared away, the Safety Car led the drivers through the pit lane.
2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 20
A third Safety Car came in quick succession on Lap 20 of the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. As the race restarted, the two Force Indias collided, eliminating Sergio Perez from the race. The race was eventually stopped under Safety Car conditions. A puncture for Kimi Raikkonen had left further debris around the circuit.
2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 1
The Safety Car was called on the opening lap in Azerbaijan for the first time in the 2018 race. Esteban Ocon was hit by Kimi Raikkonen and collided with the barriers at Turn 3. Sergey Sirotkin was involved in a separate incident and also came to a stop at Turn 3, being pincered between Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg.
2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 40
The two Red Bull drivers collided on the main straight, eliminating both Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen from the race and resulting in the deployment of the Safety Car. The Safety Car period was extended when Romain Grosjean crashed, of his own accord, behind it. The caution period lasted eight laps in total.
2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 39
The VSC made its first appearance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2019. Mechanical issues put Pierre Gasly out of the race. He pulled down an escape road, leading to a VSC deployment while his Red Bull was cleared away.
2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 30
A tyre failure saw Lance Stroll crash at high speed on the main straight, leaving debris across the track and his car in a dangerous position. The pit lane entry was closed due to the position of Stroll’s car.
2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 47
A second left rear tyre failure, this time for race leader Max Verstappen, led to another Safety Car period in the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and an eventual red flag. There was a delay in the Safety Car being deployed for the incident. The Safety Car was due to lead the drivers through the pit lane but the red flag was shown before it did so.
2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 49
After the red flag period in the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Safety Car led the drivers around to the starting grid for the restart.
2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 9
Carlos Sainz came to a stop with mechanical issues on the ninth lap of the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, leading to a VSC period.
2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 33
On a bad day for Ferrari power units, Kevin Magnussen’s Ferrari-powered Haas came to a stop out on track, leading to a second VSC period in the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 11
A stoppage for Nyck de Vries after clipping the wall brought out the only Safety Car of the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The racing action resumed on Lap 14.
2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 50
A penultimate lap collision between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz while the duo were battling over the final spot on the podium saw the Virtual Safety Car called out on Lap 50 of the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. With insufficient time to clear the incident, the race finished under VSC conditions. It was only the second F1 race – after the 2024 Australian Grand Prix – to do so.