Formula 1 returns to the Baku City Circuit for a race that frequently delivers drama and incident, but this year's event carries a scheduling twist. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will take place on Saturday, 26 September, rather than the traditional Sunday slot, marking an unusual departure from the sport's standard weekend format.
This compressed timetable means the opening practice session runs on Thursday, qualifying moves to Friday, and the main race concludes the weekend on Saturday. The shift stems from Azerbaijan's national Remembrance Day falling on Sunday, 27 September, prompting organisers and the FIA to advance the entire programme by 24 hours.
Kimi Antonelli arrives in Baku as the championship leader, holding an 81-point advantage after back-to-back victories at Monza and Madrid. With eight rounds remaining after this weekend, his rivals face mounting pressure to mount a credible challenge, though the unforgiving nature of street racing in Baku offers opportunities for the unexpected.
The wall-lined circuit proved costly for then-title leader Oscar Piastri last season, when a single mistake resulted in a costly collision. The fast and technical layout demands precision through every corner, with little margin for error during both qualifying and the race itself.
Why the Saturday schedule matters
Baku's Remembrance Day on Sunday, 27 September, necessitated the one-day advance. The race is being staged on Saturday because Azerbaijan's Remembrance Day falls on Sunday, 27 September, which prompted the one-day shift in the weekend timetable.
The time zone difference also affects session timings. Baku sits three hours ahead of UK time, meaning qualifying takes place at 1pm local time and the Grand Prix at midday. These earlier slots represent a departure from the European season's scheduling pattern.
The published event programme for Baku now runs from Wednesday, 23 September to Saturday, 26 September 2026, rather than starting on Thursday, with additional activities including a Pit Lane Walk on Wednesday afternoon for eligible ticket holders.
The Baku City Circuit: speed and precision
The Baku City Circuit joined Formula 1's calendar in 2016, initially running under the European Grand Prix banner before adopting the country's name from 2017 onwards. Located where Europe meets Asia on the Caspian Sea coast, this street circuit ranks among the sport's fastest and most demanding layouts.
Drivers regularly exceed 200mph along the 1.4-mile main straight—the longest of the entire season—where slipstreaming creates three-abreast racing opportunities. The opening braking zone at Turn One has witnessed dramatic collisions, most notably when Red Bull team-mates Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo crashed there in 2018.
Beyond the initial high-speed section, two shorter straights connected by sharp 90-degree turns typical of street circuit design lead into Baku's historic old town. The narrowest section of track on the entire F1 calendar awaits drivers at Turn Eight-Nine, the so-called 'castle' chicane. At just 7.6 metres between the barriers, this section threads past Baku's UNESCO-protected medieval architecture, demanding absolute precision.
The 3.7-mile lap combines sustained speed with technical precision, rewarding smooth driving while punishing any lapse in concentration. This balance between aggression and control defines the Baku experience.
Weather and conditions
Forecasts indicate warm and dry conditions throughout the race weekend, with temperature highs reaching the mid-20s Celsius. These conditions should provide consistent grip levels across the three days of on-track action.
The expanded F2 programme
FIA Formula 2 has added a "supersized" Azerbaijan weekend with an extra qualifying session and one additional feature race, expanding the Baku round beyond the standard F1 programme. The F2 calendar now includes practice on Thursday, qualifying and a sprint race on Friday, and two feature races on Saturday, providing a comprehensive support programme alongside the Grand Prix.
Complete schedule and UK viewing times
Wednesday, 23 September
11am: Drivers' Press Conference
2pm: Paddock Uncut
Thursday, 24 September
6:55am: F2 Practice
9am: Azerbaijan GP Practice One (session starts at 9:30am)
10:55am: F2 Qualifying
12pm: Team Bosses' Press Conference
12:30pm: Azerbaijan GP Practice Two (session starts at 1pm)
2:15pm: The F1 Show
Friday, 25 September
5:10am: F2 Sprint
9:15am: Azerbaijan GP Practice Three (session starts at 9:30am)
11:10am: F2 Feature Race 1
12:30pm: Azerbaijan GP Qualifying build-up
1pm: Azerbaijan GP Qualifying
3pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook
Saturday, 26 September
7:55am: F2 Feature Race 2
10:30am: Grand Prix build-up
12pm: The Azerbaijan Grand Prix
2pm: Chequered Flag: Azerbaijan GP reaction
3pm: Ted's Notebook
All sessions marked with an asterisk in the original schedule are also broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event.
How to watch in the UK and Ireland
Television: Sky Sports F1 provides coverage from first practice on Thursday morning through to the race on Saturday at 12pm.
Streaming: Sky Sports app access is available to Sky customers, with the option to view onboard footage from any driver. Non-Sky customers can stream via NOW with either a Day Pass or cancel-anytime Month membership.
Live coverage: A dedicated F1 blog offers live updates for those following on the move, while highlights appear on the Sky Sports app shortly after the chequered flag.
What happens next
The next scheduled on-track action is the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend in Baku from 24 to 26 September, with the race on Saturday, 26 September. Following Baku, the championship moves to Malaysia and Singapore as part of a three-race flyaway sequence, with eight rounds remaining in the season after this weekend.
