Baku is two tracks in one lap. A slow, narrow street circuit with 90 degree corners and castle walls, and then about two kilometres flat out to turn 1.
The setup has to pick a side, and this one picks the straight: wings 2 and 5. The grip in the slow part comes from soft springs and low tyre pressures instead. It is a time trial setup, saved with 10 kg of fuel.
F1 2019 Baku setup
| Setting | Front | Rear |
|---|---|---|
| Wing | 2 | 5 |
| Camber | -2.50 | -1.00 |
| Toe | 0.05 | 0.20 |
| Suspension | 2 | 2 |
| Anti-roll bar | 5 | 5 |
| Ride height | 4 | 5 |
| Tyre pressure | 21.4 psi | 19.9 psi |
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Fuel load | 10 kg |
| Differential on throttle | 60% |
| Differential off throttle | 60% |
| Brake pressure | 87% |
| Front brake bias | 54% |
In F1 2019 the wings, suspension, anti-roll bars and ride height all use a scale from 1 to 11.
This setup was collected for the site in 2022 from a fast time trial lap, like the rest of my F1 2019 setups. Use it as a base and adjust it with the table further down.
The lap on board
Why this setup works in Baku
The Baku City Circuit is 6.003 km long with 20 corners. From the exit of turn 16 to the braking point of turn 1 you do not lift. Every click of wing you carry costs you speed for all of that distance.
The wings. 2 and 5 is low, but it is not the minimum. The three clicks more at the rear than at the front are there for braking. Baku has four or five hard stops from high speed, and a car with no rear wing moves around under braking. With a wall on both sides, I want the rear to stay behind me.
The differential. 60% on throttle and 60% off. A little more locked than the open 50% I run at most tracks in this game. Out of a 90 degree corner in second gear it helps the car drive forward in a straight line, and off throttle it keeps the rear calm when you brake.
The tyre pressures. 21.4 psi front and 19.9 psi rear, well below the 24.2 and 22.7 of my F1 2019 Australia setup. A softer tyre has a bigger footprint. It gives you grip in the slow corners, where the wings do nothing, and it helps the tyres warm up after the long straight cools them.
The geometry. Camber -2.50 and -1.00, toe 0.05 and 0.20. The least angle the menu allows, which puts the tyre flat on the road for braking and traction.
A soft and tall car
Springs at 2 and 2, one click from the softest. Ride height at 4 and 5, higher than most of my setups for this game.
It looks wrong for a track with a straight this long, because a low car has less drag. But Baku is a street track. The road is bumpy, the kerbs in the turn 5 and turn 6 chicane are part of the line, and the old city section climbs and drops. A low, stiff car bottoms out and jumps. A soft, tall car keeps its tyres on the ground.
The anti-roll bars are 5 and 5. No trick here. With level bars the car does not push and it does not snap, and that is the balance I want when a mistake means a wall.
What to change
One change at a time, three laps, then decide.
| Problem | Change | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The rear moves when you brake into turn 1 or turn 3 | Rear wing 5 to 6 | More rear downforce keeps the rear in line at high speed |
| Front tyres lock into turn 1 or turn 15 | Brake pressure 87% to 83% | Less peak pressure, easier to hold at the limit |
| Understeer in the 90 degree corners | Front anti-roll bar 5 to 3 | A softer front bar gives the front tyres more grip |
| Wheelspin out of turn 2 or turn 16 | On throttle differential 60% to 50% | An open differential is gentler on the inside rear tyre |
| The car is slow to turn in the castle section | Off throttle differential 60% to 55% | Less lock off the throttle helps the car rotate |
| Too slow at the end of the straight | Rear wing 5 to 4 | Less drag. Only if you are happy on the brakes |
| The car feels vague in turn 13 and turn 14 | Suspension 2 and 2 to 3 and 3 | A little more support in the fast downhill part |
For a race
In a race Baku punishes every mistake with a wall. You are also in the tow of other cars on the straight, so you need less top speed of your own. Before a 25% or 50% race I would change this:
- Rear wing 5 to 6. More stability on the brakes with a heavy car, and the rear tyres last longer.
- Brake pressure 87% to 84%. A lock up into turn 1 ends in the escape road.
- Rear tyre pressure 19.9 to 20.3 psi. Very low pressures run hot over a long stint.
- Fuel. The 10 kg is a time trial number. In a race the game sets the load for the distance.
On a pad, I would go to rear wing 6 and brake pressure around 82%, and leave the rest.
F1 2019 has manual ERS modes. In Baku the answer is simple: save in the city from turn 5 to turn 15, and spend everything from turn 16 to turn 1. To overtake, use the DRS and the tow on the main straight. To defend, keep some battery for that same straight.
Where the lap time is in Baku
- Turn 1. The biggest stop of the lap, a 90 degree left. Brake in a straight line and wait for the car to slow before you turn. Too much speed and you go straight on.
- Turn 2 and turn 3. Turn 2 leads onto a long straight, so get the exit right. Turn 3 at the end of it is the second big stop and a good place to pass.
- Turn 5 and turn 6. A quick chicane. Take the kerbs, the soft springs let you.
- Turn 8 to turn 12. The old city. Turn 8 is the narrow left by the castle wall, and the road climbs and twists after it. Being brave here gains you nothing. Be tidy and think about the exit of turn 12.
- Turn 13 and turn 14. Fast and downhill. With a low rear wing the car moves around, so be smooth with the steering.
- Turn 15. A downhill left with a hard stop. Easy to lock the inside front. Brake a little early.
- Turn 16. The most important corner of the lap. After it you are flat all the way to turn 1. Give up the entry, turn late and go to full throttle once, with the car straight.
If you take one thing from this page: a tenth lost on the exit of turn 16 is a tenth you carry for two kilometres. I would rather be slow into it than slow out of it.
Baku in 2019
The 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was round 4 of 21, on 28 April, over 51 laps. Ferrari was fastest in every practice session, but Charles Leclerc crashed in the second part of qualifying and Valtteri Bottas took pole position in 1:40.495, 0.059 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
Bottas won from Hamilton, with Sebastian Vettel third. Leclerc set the fastest lap, a 1:43.009 on lap 50. The first practice session lasted only 12 minutes: George Russell's Williams hit a loose drain cover and the session was cancelled.
More F1 2019 setups
All the tracks are on the F1 2019 setups page. Baku is round 4. The round before it is the F1 2019 China setup and the next one is the F1 2019 Spain setup.
For the same track in other games, here are my F1 2018 Baku setup, my F1 2020 Baku setup and my F1 25 Azerbaijan setup. The values do not carry over from one game to the next.
FAQ
What is the best F1 2019 setup for Baku?
Front wing 2, rear wing 5, differential 60% on throttle and 60% off, suspension 2 and 2, anti-roll bars 5 and 5, ride height 4 and 5, brake pressure 87% with 54% front bias, and tyres at 21.4 and 19.9 psi.
What wing levels should I run in Baku in F1 2019?
2 at the front and 5 at the rear for time trial. For a race I would run 6 at the rear, for stability on the brakes.
Can I use this Baku setup in a race?
Yes, with small changes. Add one click of rear wing, lower the brake pressure to 84% and raise the rear tyre pressure a little.
Does this setup work with a controller?
Yes. The balance is neutral. I would lower the brake pressure to around 82% and add a click of rear wing.
Why is the ride height so high in this setup?
Because Baku is a bumpy street track with kerbs you have to use. A low car bottoms out and loses grip over them.
Where can I overtake in Baku in F1 2019?
Into turn 1 with DRS and the tow from the long straight. Turn 3 is the second best place.
How long is the Baku City Circuit in F1 2019?
6.003 km with 20 corners. The real race is 51 laps.