Verstappen has the chance to accomplish something never seen before in Baku

Across the ten editions held between 2016 and 2025, no driver has ever managed to win the Baku race in consecutive years. The event first appeared on the Formula 1 calendar in 2016 as the European Grand Prix, with Nico Rosberg taking victory for Mercedes. From 2017 onwards, the race has been held as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but no driver has managed to return to the top step in successive editions.

Daniel Ricciardo won the inaugural Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2017 for Red Bull, before Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas claimed victories for Mercedes in 2018 and 2019 respectively. The 2020 edition never took place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while Sergio Perez took victory in 2021 after Verstappen had appeared to be in control of the race.

The Dutchman was comfortably leading in the closing stages and looked set to claim what, in hindsight, could have been the victory that gave him the record, only for a left-rear tyre failure to bring his race to a sudden end.

Verstappen bounced back the following year, taking victory in 2022, before Perez returned to the top step in 2023. Oscar Piastri then claimed the 2024 edition for McLaren, while Verstappen added another Baku victory to his record in 2025.

Verstappen finally added a second Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory to his record in 2025, returning to the top step three years after his previous triumph. That leaves the Dutchman with a unique opportunity heading into the 2026 edition.

Speaking ahead of the weekend, the four-time world champion stressed the importance of carrying Red Bull's positive momentum from Madrid into Baku. Verstappen pointed to the progress made with the car over the past few races and the team's determination to extract the maximum possible performance from the package at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The Dutchman also highlighted the particular demands of the Baku City Circuit, with its combination of long straights and tight corners requiring a careful balance between aerodynamic efficiency and sufficient downforce.

He described the track as a challenging and technical street circuit, while also noting Red Bull's positive memories from previous visits. Verstappen also welcomed Isack Hadjar's return to the cockpit after recovering from his injury.