28 September 2026 10:00 (UTC)
Streets full of history, artistry on show, and the beginning of a triple-header: Behind the scenes in Baku
Allow us to take you behind the scenes of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and deep into the paddock, with our regular post-race wrap-up. Covering all the action you might have missed, we'll explore everything from the social media series that kept on giving to the accessories that stopped us in our tracks.
While the race didn't deliver what the team had hoped for, there were positives to take on and off the track in Baku. The Papaya Family were once again out in force, while Lando Norris had fun on the radio and Oscar Piastri delivered the moment of the weekend.
Here were some of our favourite things from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
With Baku full of picturesque vistas, it was only right to take Lando and Oscar outside to film some al fresco challenges for a bit of fun on Wednesday before the action got going. It did, however, leave them exposed to snooping eyes, as Kimi Antonelli and George Russell spotted the boys from their Mercedes team base and made themselves known.
While the Mercedes drivers did their best to put off our duo, Oscar and Lando kept focused on the task at hand, principally stacking mini chairs and competing in a classic game of Jenga.
In the latter one, we'll let you decide if Lando’s tactics amount to friendly sabotage.
When a Grand Prix winds around a UNESCO World Heritage site, it gives you plenty of options for photo of the weekend, so please step inside our art gallery. First up, we have Lando taking the MCL40 for a spin in Free Practice 2, with the light hitting the castle, and the car, perfectly.
But amidst all the history, there are always reminders that Baku is a living and breathing city. That is perfectly represented by this photo, which shows Oscar winding through the street circuit as history meets horsepower.
With the city on top of the race track, it makes for lots of interesting vantage points, and none more so than this one. You can just imagine the photographer having to squeeze their camera into various nooks and crannies before getting the perfect shot.
The garage is almost always a place of action and noise, from the minute the team get on the ground to the moment the lights are switched off at the end of the weekend. It makes it hard to find a moment of calm, but this little note from Lando might just be a good way to remember to breathe, focus, and get ready for the task at hand.
We don’t know who the note is for, but whoever received it has clearly gone to efforts to hold onto it, and it now has an important place in the garage as a reminder that hard work never goes unnoticed.
We know you’re an incredibly creative bunch, but sometimes, even we’re caught off guard by just how talented the Papaya Family are. This amazing artistry, which we spotted in the Baku Fan Forum, was one of those special moments.
There were several special items among the crown in Azerbaijan, some of which found their way to our two very grateful drivers, who were equally blown away by your skills.
The two hand-painted bags featured stunningly detailed drawings of Lando and even came complete with an accessory: a mini MCL40 key ring.
Personally, we would class a bag of that beauty as an outfit in its own right, but we think it allows us to give an honourable mention to another fan, who wore this fabulous skirt on race day. Featuring Oscar’s No.81 amongst various racing tracks, this outfit was another hit.
Baku is definitely one of those circuits where you hold your breath as the lights go out for the start of the Grand Prix. Incidents are commonplace as the cars get up to speed down the longest straight in the calendar before approaching Turn 1 for the first time.
But this year’s race was different as lights out passed without an issue, and Oscar and Lando were both able to jump up a place to give the team a brilliant start. Although the race didn't end as they'd have hoped, the speed at which they got off the line is a positive they can take away from the weekend.
It's always cool to hear a piece of team radio that you know will quickly be added to F1’s compilation of the best-ever radio clips. Lando has already contributed a few and produced another during Qualifying when he and his race engineer Will Joseph were discussing their strategy. Or where they?
The interaction began quite normally with LN1 asking: “So here I’m doing out, warm up, push. Then a very quick turnaround?”
But then Will decided to have a bit of fun, knowing that the rest of the teams, and the world, were listening in. He said: “Yep, or that’s what we want people to believe…”
While hurtling around the street circuit, Lando picked up on the joke and played along, saying: “Yes…or am I?”
Will had the final laugh, adding: “Or are you?”
It’s fair to say fans enjoyed it, as the clip has already amassed millions of views across social media.
With the first of the triple-header ticked off, the team now head to the Sepang International Circuit for the first time in nine years as Malaysia hosts the rearranged Bahrain Grand Prix.
It will mark both Lando and Oscar’s first times racing around the track as the fan favourite makes a temporary return to the calendar.
