The demand on the brakes during the GP
The 11 braking points each lap and the extreme length of the track (more than 6 km) require the drivers to use their brakes for almost 19 and a half seconds every lap, that is almost 7 seconds more than on Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal, one of the most challenging tracks for the brakes.
Actually though, the percentage of braking on the overall duration of the race is fairly similar: 19% in Baku, 18% in Canada. The average peak deceleration, on the other hand, is just 3.7 G since only one of the braking sections reach 4.8 G like, and because there are two curves with deceleration that don't go over 1.7 G.
The amount of energy dissipated in braking by each car over the course of the GP is 249 kWh, the fourth highest value of the championship.
From the starting line to the checkered flag, the Brembo technicians forecast that each driver will apply a load of 53 tons on the brake pedal.
The most demanding braking sections
Of the eleven braking sections at the Baku City Circuit, four are classified as demanding on the brakes, four are of medium difficulty and three are light.
The most difficult corner for the braking system is at turn 3: the single-seaters arrive going 320 km/h (199 mph) and in just 2.31 seconds, they take it down to 99 km/h (62 mph). To do this, the drivers apply a load of 141 kg (311 lbs) on the brake pedal and undergo a deceleration of 4.7 G. Applying the brakes, the cars travel just 115 meters (377 feet).
The load on the brake pedal is lower at turn 1 (131 kg, 289 lbs), but the deceleration is much higher: 5.5 G despite the reduction in speed and the time spent braking are lower: 1.84 seconds to go from 330 km/h (205 mph) to 124 km/h (77 mph). As a result there is less braking space, 106 meters (348 feet).
The braking section at turn 15 is the longest of all: 125 meters (410 feet) and 2.67 seconds, and the drivers are under high stress: the deceleration is 4.7 G and the load on the brake lever comes to 161 kg (355 lbs).