The Formula 1 calendar will see the Azerbaijan Grand Prix staged on a Saturday, marking the return of the sport to the thrilling Baku City Circuit – a venue that consistently delivers some of the most dramatic and incident‑laden races of the year. This weekend kicks off a three‑race overseas swing that will continue with stops in Malaysia and Singapore, and because the Baku event is scheduled a day earlier than usual, the programme runs on an accelerated timetable: practice sessions commence on Thursday, qualifying is held on Friday, and the main race takes place on Saturday. At the forefront of the championship narrative is Kimi Antonelli, who currently leads the drivers' standings by a substantial 81 points after securing back‑to‑back victories in Monza and Madrid.
With eight rounds remaining after Baku, his rivals are under pressure to string together strong results if they hope to close the gap and keep their title hopes alive. The pressure is amplified by the nature of the Baku circuit itself – a narrow, wall‑bounded street layout that can punish even the smallest mistake. Last year, Oscar Piastri learned this lesson the hard way when a minor error turned into a costly incident on the unforgiving walls that line the track.
The decision to run the Grand Prix on Saturday, 26 September, is linked to Azerbaijan’s national observance of Remembrance Day on the following Sunday. Consequently, the entire weekend’s schedule has been shifted forward: Thursday hosts the opening practice sessions, Friday is reserved for the qualifying shoot‑out, and Saturday sees the race start at midday local time (13:00 GMT, as Azerbaijan is three hours ahead of the United Kingdom).
This timing means that the qualifying session is slated for 13:00 local time, while the race itself begins at 12:00 local time, slightly earlier than the typical European‑season slots. Baku, perched on the Caspian Sea where Europe meets Asia, first joined the F1 roster in 2016. The inaugural event ran under the banner of the European Grand Prix before adopting the country’s name from the following year onward. The circuit is renowned for its extreme speed, featuring the longest straight of the season – a 1.4‑mile (2.2 km) stretch where cars routinely exceed 200 mph.
The slip‑stream effect on this straight creates abundant overtaking opportunities, with drivers often lining up three‑wide as they approach the heavy braking zone at Turn 1. That corner has already produced memorable moments, such as the 2018 collision between Red Bull teammates Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo. Beyond the main straight, the layout weaves through two shorter straights linked by tight 90‑degree corners before plunging into the historic heart of Baku. Here, the track narrows dramatically to just 7.6 metres between the barriers – the tightest section on the calendar – and the infamous Turn 8‑9 "castle" chicane forces drivers to navigate the UNESCO‑protected medieval district at high speed.
The combination of high‑velocity sections and ultra‑tight corners makes Baku a unique test of both car performance and driver precision. Weather forecasts for race week predict warm, dry conditions with daytime temperatures hovering in the mid‑20s Celsius, offering a relatively stable environment for teams to optimise tyre strategies and aerodynamic setups. The official weekend agenda is as follows: - Wednesday 23 September: 11:00 – Drivers' press conference; 14:00 – Paddock Uncut interview series.
- Thursday 24 September: 06:55 – Formula 2 practice; 09:00 – Azerbaijan GP Practice 1 (starts at 09:30); 10:55 – Formula 2 qualifying; 12:00 – Team bosses' press conference; 12:30 – Azerbaijan GP Practice 2 (starts at 13:00); 14:15 – The F1 Show. - Friday 25 September: 05:10 – Formula 2 sprint race; 09:15 – Azerbaijan GP Practice 3 (starts at 09:30); 11:10 – Formula 2 feature race 1; 12:30 – Build‑up to qualifying; 13:00 – Azerbaijan GP qualifying session; 15:00 – Ted’s Qualifying Notebook analysis. - Saturday 26 September: 07:55 – Formula 2 feature race 2; 10:30 – Grand Prix start; 12:00 – Azerbaijan Grand Prix; 14:00 – Chequered‑flag reaction segment; 15:00 – Ted’s post‑race notebook. All sessions marked with an asterisk are also broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event.
For viewers, the coverage options are extensive. Sky Sports subscribers can watch every session from the first practice on Thursday morning through to the race on Saturday via the Sky Sports F1 channel. The Sky Sports app also provides a mobile gateway, allowing fans to follow the action on‑board with any driver of their choice. Those without a Sky subscription can access the weekend through the NOW streaming service, which offers flexible Day or Month passes that can be cancelled at any time.
Additionally, a live blog will be available for audiences on the move, delivering real‑time updates throughout the weekend. Sky Sports also supplies a suite of post‑race content, including highlight reels that appear shortly after the chequered flag on the Sky Sports app. Subscribers can take advantage of Sky ID assistance for account management, and NOW customers benefit from contract‑free streaming across more than 60 devices, with the ability to switch between monthly and daily membership plans. In summary, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix’s Saturday slot is a strategic accommodation for the nation’s Remembrance Day, resulting in an accelerated weekend schedule that still offers fans a full complement of practice, qualifying, and race action.
The Baku City Circuit’s blend of blistering straight‑line speed, narrow historic streets, and high‑risk corners ensures that the event will continue to be a highlight of the F1 season, delivering excitement for drivers, teams, and spectators alike.