The 2026 Formula 1 calendar brings the sport back to the Baku City Circuit, a venue that has earned a reputation for delivering some of the most dramatic and incident‑laden races of the year. This weekend’s schedule is unusual because the main event takes place on a Saturday rather than the traditional Sunday.
The shift is linked to Azerbaijan’s national observances and has a ripple effect on the timing of all supporting sessions. Baku’s race weekend marks the start of a three‑race overseas swing that will continue with stops in Malaysia and Singapore. Because the Grand Prix is slated for Saturday, September 26, the programme has been compressed by a day.
Practice sessions begin on Thursday, qualifying is set for Friday, and the race itself rolls out on Saturday midday. This front‑loading means teams and drivers have a tighter window to gather data, fine‑tune setups and execute their strategies. The current championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, sits comfortably at the top of the standings with an 81‑point advantage after back‑to‑back victories in Monza and Madrid.
With eight rounds still to contest after Baku, his rivals are feeling the pressure to string together a strong run of results. The Baku circuit, however, is notorious for punishing even the smallest errors. Last year, then‑title contender Oscar Piastri learned that lesson the hard way when a misjudged entry into the narrow Turn Eight‑Nine chicane resulted in a costly crash. The circuit’s blend of high‑speed straights and tight, wall‑hugging corners makes it a true test of driver skill and car reliability.
The decision to move the race to Saturday is primarily driven by the country’s Remembrance Day, observed on Sunday, September 27. Organisers chose to avoid a clash with the national holiday, ensuring that the event receives full attention from local fans and media. As a result, the Grand Prix is scheduled for 12:00 pm local time, with qualifying at 1:00 pm on Friday.
Azerbaijan operates three hours ahead of the United Kingdom, so British viewers will see the sessions slightly earlier than they would for a typical Sunday race. Baku’s street circuit first appeared on the F1 calendar in 2016 under the banner of the European Grand Prix, before adopting the Azerbaijan name the following year.
The 1.4‑mile main straight is the longest on the calendar, allowing cars to reach speeds in excess of 200 mph. This creates massive slip‑streaming opportunities, and it is not uncommon to see three cars abreast as they roar down the straight.
The high‑speed nature of the circuit was highlighted in 2018 when Red Bull teammates Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo collided in the heavy braking zone at Turn One, underscoring how quickly fortunes can change. After the opening straight, the layout features two shorter straights linked by classic 90‑degree street‑circuit turns, before the track winds into the historic heart of Baku. Here, the narrowest section of the season appears: Turn Eight‑Nine, a tight chicane only 7.6 metres wide, threading between the medieval walls of the UNESCO‑protected old city.
Precision is essential, as any contact with the barriers can end a driver’s race instantly. Weather forecasts for race week predict warm, dry conditions with daytime temperatures hovering in the mid‑20s Celsius. Such stable weather should help teams maintain consistent tyre performance, though the intense heat can add extra strain on cooling systems and driver endurance.
The full schedule for the weekend is as follows: - Wednesday, September 23: Drivers’ press conference at 11:00 am, followed by the Paddock Uncut interview at 2:00 pm. - Thursday, September 24: F2 practice at 6:55 am, Azerbaijan GP Practice One at 9:30 am, F2 qualifying at 10:55 am, Team bosses’ press conference at 12:00 pm, Practice Two at 12:30 pm (starting at 1:00 pm), and The F1 Show at 2:15 pm.
- Friday, September 25: F2 sprint at 5:10 am, Practice Three at 9:30 am, F2 Feature Race 1 at 11:10 am, Qualifying build‑up at 12:30 pm, Azerbaijan GP Qualifying at 1:00 pm, and Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 3:00 pm. - Saturday, September 26: F2 Feature Race 2 at 7:55 am, Grand Prix start at 10:30 am, post‑race build‑up at 12:00 pm, Chequered Flag reaction at 2:00 pm, and Ted’s Notebook at 3:00 pm. All sessions are broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 for Sky subscribers, with additional streaming options via the Sky Sports app, which offers an onboard camera experience for any driver.
Non‑Sky customers can access the action through the NOW platform, available on a day‑pass or month‑pass basis with no long‑term contract. A live blog provides minute‑by‑minute updates for fans on the move, and highlights are posted shortly after the race concludes. In summary, the Saturday timing of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is a practical response to local commemorations, but it also adds a unique twist to the early‑season rhythm. Teams must adapt quickly to the compressed schedule, and drivers will need to balance outright speed with the precision required by the circuit’s narrow sections.
With the championship still wide open and the next two overseas rounds looming, Baku promises to be a pivotal weekend that could reshape the title fight.