Formula 1 launches its inaugural triple‑header of the 2026 campaign this weekend, beginning with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. Unlike the usual Sunday race, the Baku event is slated for Saturday, turning what was meant to be a stand‑alone round into the first leg of three consecutive race weekends. The original calendar placed the Singapore Grand Prix two weeks after Azerbaijan, but a reshuffle that moved the Bahrain round to Malaysia created a three‑week stretch of back‑to‑back Grands Prix. Two further triple‑headers are planned to close out the season, meaning the sport will finish the year with an unusually dense schedule.
What does this first Azerbaijan‑Malaysia‑Singapore sequence mean for the championship battle? At present, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli enjoys a comfortable lead, but the upcoming sprint and two full‑distance races could either cement his dominance or provide a window for his rivals to close the gap. Antonelli’s most recent win in Madrid was partly the result of timing the Virtual Safety Car to his advantage, a circumstance that also hampered McLaren’s Lando Norris, who had been leading. Nevertheless, Antonelli was in strong form at the brand‑new Baku circuit and was ready to capitalize on any luck that came his way.
The victory in Madrid was his eighth of the season, extending his lead to 81 points at the top of the Drivers’ Championship. Since the British Grand Prix in early July, where his margin over teammate George Russell shrank to 25 points, Antonelli has steadily widened the gap each weekend, now sitting at a season‑high advantage. Russell remains his nearest challenger, but after finishing fifth in Madrid he fell more than three race‑win equivalents behind his teammate, effectively conceding any realistic shot at the title.
Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari had already hinted that his championship hopes were dim after the Monza round, and brake failures in Madrid confirmed his exit from the title hunt with a first‑season DNF. He now trails Antonelli by 101 points. Lando Norris, currently fourth in the standings and the most in‑form driver after the title‑contender, saw his deficit swell to 106 points after missing out on a third win in four races.
All signs point to Antonelli as the clear favourite, yet the 20‑year‑old repeatedly stresses that he is not thinking about the championship in interviews. Team principal Toto Wolff backs this approach, describing it as genuine and beneficial for the young driver’s mindset. While the title race appears heavily weighted toward Antonelli, the remaining contenders still have a chance if they can string together a remarkable run of results during the final rounds. The triple‑header alone offers 83 points – 75 from the three main races and an additional eight from the Singapore sprint – meaning Mercedes cannot become complacent.
If Antonelli can maintain or extend his current 81‑point lead after the Singapore weekend on October 11, the probability of him becoming the sport’s youngest world champion will become overwhelming, even with six races (150 points) still to contest. Baku’s City Circuit is a high‑speed, wall‑lined street track that has produced some of the most dramatic races in its ten‑year history. Last year’s event featured a record six red‑flag interruptions in qualifying and a race won by Max Verstappen after title‑favorite Oscar Piastri crashed out within the first six corners. Antonelli, who finished fourth on his F1 debut in Baku last season and earned an F2 podium the year before, will aim to avoid similar mishaps.
Mercedes, like at Monza, is expected to be strong on the long straights and low‑down‑force layout. Sky Sports F1 analyst Nico Rosberg described Baku as “completely different from Madrid – slow corners, massive straights, and a lower down‑force setup,” noting that engine power typically favors Mercedes, as demonstrated in Italy.
He added that Verstappen’s pace in Monza suggests he could still be a surprise factor. The second leg of the triple‑header moves to Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit, a venue beloved by drivers during its original 1999‑2017 stint. Ten current drivers were on the grid when F1 returned to Sepang, with Charles Leclerc having driven for Sauber in a 2017 practice session, while Alex Albon and Liam Lawson have tested the track in junior categories. For many, including Antonelli, Russell and Norris, Sepang will be familiar only from simulators, and even the most advanced virtual tools cannot fully replicate the intense heat and humidity that define racing there.
Drivers are already accustomed to tropical conditions after the grueling Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay, which has become the season’s most physically demanding event. This year, Singapore introduces a Sprint race for the first time since 2015, marking the sixth and final Sprint weekend of the season. Sprint weekends compress the schedule, offering only a single practice session before qualifying and the short race, increasing the likelihood of surprises and penalising early mistakes.
Upgrade packages will continue to shape the competitive order. McLaren plans to bring a fresh set of parts for their MCL40 in Baku after a disappointing showing last year.
Mercedes, meanwhile, will debut a long‑awaited upgrade in Malaysia – the first significant package since the Canadian Grand Prix in May – an approach that has helped rivals Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull close the performance gap. Team principal Toto Wolff expressed optimism about the Malaysian upgrade, hoping it will bring Mercedes on par with the other front‑runners. Mercedes also retains an ADUO power‑unit upgrade that could be deployed later in the season, potentially timed to coincide with any grid‑penalty situation for Russell. Ferrari and Red Bull are also expected to introduce new components across the triple‑header, with Ferrari still showing flashes of brilliance but frequently stumbling, and Red Bull edging closer to a first win of the year with Verstappen.
The crucial question remains: will Antonelli’s lead stay within realistic striking distance for his challengers as the season winds down? With 83 points on offer in this opening triple‑header and a further 150 points available in the final six races, the championship is not mathematically settled, but the odds are increasingly stacked in Antonelli’s favour. 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, offering a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime option for viewers who prefer a flexible subscription.