case of an incident such as a high speed puncture or mechanical failure. Valtteri Bottas was forced to miss the whole of Free Practice 3 when a drain cover came loose and caused significant damage to his Williams FW38. Similarly, the first practice session of the 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was cancelled when George Russell hit a loose drain cover. Many drivers praised the circuit for the challenge offered by its mixture of long straights, slow technical sections and no margin for error due to the proximity of the walls. In 2021, Rosberg criticised the location of the pit lane entrance adjacent to the main straight, calling it "one of the places I always found the most dangerous of the whole year". Formula One race director Michael Masi disagreed with Rosberg, saying the venue "fulfils all of the various safety requirements that the FIA has within its regulation requirements.". Arif Rahimov dismissed from post of Executive Director of Baku City Circuit, he has worked in this position for the past 7 years. Magsud Farzullayev was appointed as an acting executive director. Lap records The official race lap records at the Baku City Circuit are listed as: See also European Grand Prix Azerbaijan Grand Prix Notes References External links Official website Formula One circuits Motorsport venues in Azerbaijan Sports venues in Baku Buildings and structures in Baku European Grand Prix Azerbaijan Grand Prix Tourist attractions in Baku Racing circuits designed by Hermann Tilke 2016 establishments in Azerbaijan