The four-week F1 break is nearly over and racing is set to resume around the streets of Baku. Here’s a look at the all-important details ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

• Oscar raced at the Baku City Circuit in 2021 during his title-winning F2 season, picking up his fourth podium finish of the season with P2 in Sunday’s feature race
• This will be the seventh F1 grand prix in Baku, which made its debut on the F1 calendar in 2016
• The 6.003km circuit comprises of 20 corners (12 left-handers and eight right-handers) with cars reaching speeds of circa 350km/h on the long main straight
• It is set to be the fourth-longest track on the 2023 F1 calendar after Spa-Francorchamps, Jeddah Corniche and the Las Vegas Street Circuit
• This will be the third of seven F1 grands prix in 2023 on street circuits after Jeddah and Melbourne
• Azerbaijan is the first of six venues in 2023 (Azerbaijan, Austria, Spa, Qatar, COTA and Sao Paulo) to hold an F1 Sprint Race
• It’s been a busy four-week gap in the F1 calendar for Oscar since his home race in Melbourne including his 22nd birthday, testing in Imola, spending time in the simulator and training hard

On the Baku City Circuit…

“I’m looking forward to taking on the unique challenge of Baku. It’s got its narrow, twisty sections as well as its long straight with high top speeds and the circuit always seems to throw up an unpredictable race.

Set-up and strategy will be important and so, we will be working hard to get the car in the best place possible to build on the momentum from Melbourne.”

On podium memories…

“I remember my F2 podium in Baku in the feature race as it put me in a good place in the championship. I started from third, made a good start to move up a place and finished there.

That was my fourth podium of the season and it allowed me to keep building my points tally directly off the back of three points-scoring results in Monaco.”

On getting back to racing after the break…

“It feels like a while since we’ve been racing and I can’t wait to get back to it. There is nothing like the feeling of a race weekend and I’ve been counting down the days.

Racing is my life and so, despite it being very busy with testing and plenty of training, I can’t wait.”

On being one year older…

“I’m still the youngest F1 driver on the grid but I am now 22. We were actually in Imola on my birthday and the team were kind enough to surprise me with a birthday cake.

The presentation was slightly dubious but I managed to have a little taste of it after I’d finished my testing stint at the wheel of the MCL35M. It was chocolate which is always a hit with me.

Thanks to all the fans for their kind messages as I got lots of very nice well wishes.”