Arriving in Azerbaijan was a huge deal for Victor. This was his first actual rookie season, so every flight to a new country felt like opening a gift. As soon as he stepped off the flight, the Baku air hit him, smelling like salt from the Caspian Sea and expensive city dust.
The place was a total trip to look at. On one side, you had these ancient stone walls from the Old City that looked a thousand years old, and right next to them were these giant, curvy skyscrapers made of glass that looked like something out of a futuristic movie. It was like a sci-fi world built on top of a history book. You could tell the city was ready, too—every street was lined with F1 posters and barriers, and you could practically feel the ground vibrating because the whole nation was obsessed with the racing culture.
