Formula 1 is set to launch its first triple‑header of the 2026 campaign this weekend, beginning with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday—a departure from the usual Sunday slot. What was originally intended as a stand‑alone event in Baku, with the Singapore Grand Prix slated for two weeks later, has been reshaped by the relocation of the Bahrain round to Malaysia.
That calendar tweak creates three back‑to‑back race weekends, and two additional triple‑header blocks are planned to close out the season. The immediate question is what the Azerbaijan‑Malaysia‑Singapore sequence will deliver and how it will reshape the title fight that currently sees Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli holding a sizeable advantage. Antonelli’s win in Madrid was partly a stroke of luck, as the timing of a Virtual Safety Car played to his benefit while it hampered McLaren’s Lando Norris, who had been leading. Nonetheless, Antonelli was in strong form at the brand‑new Baku venue and was perfectly placed to seize any opportunity.
That victory was Antonelli’s eighth in fourteen starts this year, giving him an 81‑point cushion at the summit of the Drivers’ Championship as he heads into Baku. After his lead over teammate George Russell narrowed to 25 points at the British Grand Prix in early July, Antonelli has extended his margin each weekend, now sitting at a season‑high advantage.
Russell remains the nearest challenger, but after finishing fifth in Madrid—more than three race‑win equivalents behind Antonelli—he has effectively conceded any realistic shot at the crown. Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari, who had already hinted that his title hopes were slim after the Monza race, confirmed his doubts when brake problems forced his first retirement of the year at the Madring.
Hamilton now trails by 101 points, while fourth‑placed Norris, the other in‑form driver, finds himself 106 points adrift after missing a potential third win in four races. All signs point to Antonelli being the overwhelming favourite, yet the 20‑year‑old appears to shrug off the pressure. He repeatedly says he does not think about the championship, a mindset that team principal Toto Wolff describes as authentic and beneficial for the young driver. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking for any rival hoping to mount a late‑season surge.
With 83 points still on offer across the three events—75 from the main Grands Prix and eight from the Singapore Sprint—Mercedes cannot become complacent. If Antonelli can preserve or even widen his lead after the Singapore round on October 11, his odds of becoming the sport’s youngest world champion will become daunting for his competitors, even with a maximum of six races (150 points) remaining.
The opening venue, the Baku City Circuit, is a high‑speed street layout that hugs the Caspian Sea and threads through Azerbaijan’s capital. Its long straights, tight walls and mixed‑speed corners have produced some of the most dramatic races in the last decade.
Last year’s event featured a record six red‑flag periods in qualifying and a race won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen after title‑contender Oscar Piastri crashed out within the first six corners. Antonelli, who debuted in Baku last season with a fourth‑place finish and previously earned an F2 podium, will aim to avoid those pitfalls. Mercedes, like at Monza, is expected to excel on the circuit’s low‑downforce, power‑focused configuration. "Baku is completely different from Madrid.
It has slow‑speed corners, massive straights and requires lower downforce for those long sections," former champion Nico Rosberg explained on The F1 Show. "Engine power always favours Mercedes, as we saw in Monza, so they should be the big favourite. Max Verstappen was fast in Monza, so maybe he can surprise there as well." Next up is Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit, returning after a nine‑year hiatus. Sepang has long been a driver favourite, known for its sweeping turns and the relentless heat and humidity that test both car and crew.
Ten current drivers were on the grid when F1 last visited in 2017, and while Antonelli, Russell and Norris have only experienced the layout in simulators, even the most advanced virtual tools cannot fully replicate Sepang’s tropical conditions. The adjacent Singapore Grand Prix, held on the Marina Bay Street Circuit, will follow, bringing its own set of challenges. Singapore has already proven to be the most physically demanding race of the season, with its tight walls and relentless pace.
This year, Singapore introduces a Sprint race for the first time since 2017, making it the sixth and final Sprint weekend of the year. Sprint weekends compress the schedule, offering only a single practice session before qualifying and the Sprint itself. This format amplifies unpredictability and punishes any early mistakes in set‑up or driver execution, especially on a circuit where a single wall can end a weekend in an instant. Technical development will also play a pivotal role across the triple‑header.
Teams continue to roll out upgrade packages for the new‑generation cars, and those upgrades often reshuffle the competitive order. McLaren, after a disappointing showing in Baku last year, will bring a fresh package for its MCL40. Mercedes, meanwhile, plans to debut a long‑awaited upgrade in Malaysia—the first substantial change to the W17 since the Canadian Grand Prix in May. Toto Wolff hinted that the upgrade could bring the team back on par with rivals, though he cautioned that track‑specific performance can vary.
Mercedes also retains an ADUO power‑unit upgrade that could be introduced later in the season, potentially timed with any grid‑penalty situation for Russell. Ferrari and Red Bull are not standing still either. Both teams are expected to field new components throughout the three races, aiming to close the performance gap to Mercedes. Ferrari continues to show flashes of brilliance but often falters due to mistakes, while Red Bull is edging closer to its first win of the year with Verstappen.
As the season pushes toward its climax, the question remains whether Antonelli can stay within realistic striking distance of the championship lead when the final races arrive. The triple‑header offers a massive points haul, and any slip‑up by the Italian could reignite the chase. However, if he navigates Baku’s high‑speed walls, Sepang’s sweltering heat, and Singapore’s unforgiving street layout without major incident, his path to the title looks increasingly secure.
Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports F1, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix kicking off on Saturday at midday. The race will be streamed via NOW, allowing viewers to watch without a long‑term contract and cancel at any time.