The 2026 Formula One season will see the Azerbaijan Grand Prix staged on a Saturday, marking another memorable stop at the Baku City Circuit, a venue renowned for delivering some of the most dramatic and incident‑laden races of the calendar. This weekend kicks off a three‑race overseas swing that also includes stops in Malaysia and Singapore, and it arrives a day earlier than the usual Friday‑Saturday‑Sunday format. As a result, the schedule compresses practice sessions onto Thursday, qualifying onto Friday, and the main race onto Saturday, September 26. Why the shift to Saturday?
The change is driven by Azerbaijan's national observance of Remembrance Day, which falls on Sunday, September 27. To avoid clashing with this solemn holiday, the organizers moved the Grand Prix forward by one day.
Consequently, the entire weekend’s timetable has been adjusted: the first two practice sessions run on Thursday morning, the third practice and the sprint race are held on Friday, and the final qualifying session takes place on Friday afternoon, with the race itself launching at midday on Saturday. Because Azerbaijan sits three hours ahead of the United Kingdom, the broadcast windows are slightly earlier than those for European races, meaning qualifying starts at 1 p.m. UK time and the Grand Prix itself begins at 12 p.m.
UK time. The Baku City Circuit first entered the F1 calendar in 2016, initially under the banner of the European Grand Prix before adopting the Azerbaijan name the following year. The track is a hybrid street circuit that snakes through the historic heart of Baku, where Europe meets Asia on the Caspian Sea coast. It is celebrated for its extreme speed, especially along the 1.4‑mile (2.25‑km) main straight, the longest straight on the 2026 calendar.
Cars routinely exceed 200 mph (320 km/h) there, creating massive slip‑streaming opportunities and often allowing three cars to run side‑by‑side into the first braking zone. That zone has been the site of several high‑profile incidents, most famously the 2018 collision between Red Bull teammates Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.
After the long straight, drivers negotiate a series of tight 90‑degree corners before the circuit plunges into the ancient part of the city. Here, the track narrows dramatically, reaching a width of just 7.6 metres at the Turn‑Eight/Nine "castle" chicane that skirts the UNESCO‑protected medieval district. This is the narrowest section on the entire F1 schedule, demanding precise car placement and razor‑sharp reflexes. The combination of high‑speed sections and extremely tight corners makes Baku a true test of both driver skill and car setup, with teams having to balance low‑downforce configurations for the straight against enough grip for the twisty, barrier‑lined sections.
Heading into the race weekend, the championship picture is already taking shape. Young Italian talent Kimi Antonelli sits atop the drivers' standings, having amassed an 81‑point lead after back‑to‑back victories in Monza and the Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid.
With eight rounds remaining after Baku, his rivals must mount a serious challenge if they hope to dethrone him. Last year’s race served as a cautionary tale for title contenders; former champion Oscar Piastri learned the hard way that even a momentary lapse at Baku can end a championship bid, as the unforgiving walls and rapid changes in pace can punish any mistake.
The weather forecast for the weekend is favorable, with warm, dry conditions expected and daytime temperatures hovering in the mid‑20s Celsius (mid‑70s Fahrenheit). Such conditions should keep the track surface consistent, allowing teams to stick with their planned tyre strategies without the surprise of sudden rain.
Here is the detailed schedule for the weekend: - Wednesday, September 23: 11 a.m. Drivers' press conference; 2 p.m.
Paddock Uncut interview series. - Thursday, September 24: 6:55 a.m. Formula 2 practice; 9:00 a.m.
Azerbaijan GP Practice 1 (starts at 9:30 a.m. local time); 10:55 a.m.
Formula 2 qualifying; 12:00 p.m. Team bosses' press conference; 12:30 p.m. Azerbaijan GP Practice 2 (starts at 1:00 p.m.); 2:15 p.m. The F1 Show.
- Friday, September 25: 5:10 a.m. Formula 2 sprint race; 9:15 a.m.
Azerbaijan GP Practice 3 (starts at 9:30 a.m.); 11:10 a.m. Formula 2 Feature Race 1; 12:30 p.m. Build‑up to qualifying; 1:00 p.m. Azerbaijan GP Qualifying (followed by Ted's Qualifying Notebook at 3:00 p.m.).
- Saturday, September 26: 7:55 a.m. Formula 2 Feature Race 2; 10:30 a.m. Azerbaijan Grand Prix start; 12:00 p.m. Race finish and chequered flag; 2:00 p.m.
Post‑race reaction; 3:00 p.m. Ted's Notebook recap. All sessions are broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 for Sky subscribers, with the option to stream via the Sky Sports app, which even allows viewers to select a driver’s onboard camera for a more immersive experience. Non‑Sky customers can access the action through the NOW streaming platform, which offers day‑pass or month‑pass subscriptions that can be cancelled at any time.
Additionally, a live blog will provide minute‑by‑minute updates for fans on the move, and highlights will be uploaded to the Sky Sports app shortly after the race concludes. For those unfamiliar with the NOW service, it is an instant‑streaming platform that grants access to all twelve Sky Sports channels, including Sky Sports+, across more than 60 devices. The service operates on a contract‑free basis, allowing users to subscribe for a single day or a full month and cancel whenever they wish.
Pricing details and membership options are available on the NOW website. In summary, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix’s Saturday slot is a strategic adjustment to respect a national holiday, and it creates a compact, action‑packed weekend that tests drivers’ skill, teams’ strategic acumen, and fans’ enthusiasm.
With the championship battle heating up and the unique challenges of Baku on display, the race promises to be a highlight of the 2026 Formula One season.