The Azerbaijan Grand Prix Will Be Run on Saturday After Formula One Moved It for a National Day
Practice starts on Thursday and qualifying takes place on Friday, a one off rearrangement of the Baku weekend rather than a permanent change.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held on Saturday 26 September 2026 rather than the Sunday, after Formula One and the FIA agreed to bring the whole weekend forward by a day.
Sunday 27 September is a national day of remembrance in Azerbaijan, held in memory of those killed in the 2020 conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. Formula One said that, following a request from the Azerbaijan promoter and relevant government stakeholders, it and the FIA had agreed to move the race to accommodate a national day.
The revised timetable puts the first and second practice sessions on Thursday 24 September, with third practice and qualifying on Friday 25 September. The race around the Baku City Circuit starts at 3pm local time, which is 12pm in the United Kingdom and 7pm in Malaysia and Singapore.
The arrangement applies only to this season and is not a permanent change to the Baku slot on the calendar.
Kimi Antonelli goes to Azerbaijan leading the drivers' championship by 81 points after consecutive wins at Monza and at the new Madring circuit in Madrid, the latter on 13 September 2026. Several rounds remain after Baku.