The Formula 1 calendar will see the Azerbaijan Grand Prix staged on a Saturday this year, as the series returns to the Baku City Circuit – a venue notorious for delivering some of the most dramatic and incident‑laden races of the season. This weekend marks the start of a three‑race overseas swing that will be followed by events in Malaysia and Singapore, and the Baku programme has been shifted forward by a day. As a result, the practice sessions will kick off on Thursday, qualifying will be contested on Friday, and the main race will unfold on Saturday.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli sits comfortably at the top of the drivers' standings, having amassed an 81‑point advantage after back‑to‑back victories in Monza and Madrid. With eight rounds remaining after Baku, his rivals are under pressure to string together a series of strong results if they hope to close the gap. Yet the Baku circuit, with its high‑speed sections and close‑quarter barriers, has a reputation for punishing even the most experienced drivers – a lesson learned by former title contender Oscar Piastri, who suffered a costly mistake at last year’s event.
The decision to run the race on Saturday, September 26, is linked to Azerbaijan’s national Remembrance Day, observed on Sunday, September 27. To avoid clashing with the holiday, organizers moved the Grand Prix forward, meaning qualifying will take place on Friday and the two practice sessions will be held on Thursday.
Because Azerbaijan operates three hours ahead of the United Kingdom, the schedule is slightly earlier than typical European weekends: qualifying is slated for 13:00 local time and the race will start at 12:00 noon. Baku, a city that straddles the border between Europe and Asia on the shores of the Caspian Sea, first welcomed Formula 1 in 2016.
The inaugural event was run under the European Grand Prix banner before adopting the Azerbaijan name from the following year. The circuit is one of the sport’s fastest street tracks, featuring a 1.4‑mile straight that is the longest of the season. Cars regularly exceed 200 mph on this straight, creating ample opportunities for slipstreaming and multi‑car overtakes, with three cars sometimes side‑by‑side at the finish line. The layout then funnels drivers into a heavy braking zone at Turn 1, a spot that has produced memorable crashes, including the 2018 collision between Red Bull teammates Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.
After navigating two shorter straights linked by classic 90‑degree street‑circuit corners, the 3.7‑mile lap enters the historic heart of Baku. Here, the track narrows dramatically; Turn 8‑9, known as the "castle" chicane, squeezes the cars to just 7.6 metres between the barriers as they speed past the UNESCO‑protected medieval quarter. This is the narrowest segment on the entire F1 calendar and demands utmost precision.
Meteorological forecasts predict warm, dry conditions throughout the weekend, with daytime temperatures hovering in the mid‑20s Celsius. Such weather typically produces optimal grip levels, but the heat can also strain power units and tires, adding another strategic layer for teams. The full schedule for the weekend is as follows: Friday, 25 September: 5:10 am – F2 Sprint (live on Sky Sports Main Event) 9:15 am – Azerbaijan GP Practice Three (session begins at 9:30 am) 11:10 am – F2 Feature Race 1 (live on Sky Sports Main Event) 12:30 pm – Build‑up to Azerbaijan GP Qualifying 1:00 pm – Azerbaijan GP Qualifying 3:00 pm – Ted’s Qualifying Notebook Saturday, 26 September: 7:55 am – F2 Feature Race 2 (live on Sky Sports Main Event) 10:30 am – Azerbaijan Grand Prix (race start at 12:00 pm) 12:00 pm – Post‑race reaction and analysis 2:00 pm – Chequered flag ceremony 3:00 pm – Ted’s Notebook recap Broadcast options include Sky Sports F1 for Sky subscribers, who can watch from the first practice session on Thursday through to the race on Saturday.
The Sky Sports app also offers a live feed with the ability to follow any driver’s onboard camera. Non‑Sky viewers can access the action via the NOW streaming service, which provides flexible day‑or‑month passes without a long‑term contract.
Additionally, a live blog will deliver minute‑by‑minute updates for fans on the move, and highlights will be posted shortly after the race concludes on the Sky Sports app. For Sky customers, additional resources such as Sky ID assistance and NOW membership details are available, allowing viewers to sign up instantly and stream across more than 60 devices. The NOW platform offers both monthly and daily subscription models, with the option to cancel at any time.
In summary, the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix’s Saturday slot is a strategic move to respect a national holiday while delivering a compact, high‑octane weekend for fans worldwide. The combination of blistering straight‑line speed, tight medieval sections, and a packed schedule promises another unforgettable chapter in Baku’s already storied Formula 1 history.