Baku this Saturday: can anyone stop Antonelli before F1 comes to Sepang?
After his win in Madrid, the Mercedes rookie-turned-title-favourite heads to Azerbaijan 81 points clear. The race is on Saturday, and here's when to watch in Malaysia.
Before F1 arrives in Malaysia, there's Baku.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix (Round 15) is this week, and it breaks from the usual schedule. Sunday 27 September is Azerbaijan's Day of Remembrance, so the whole weekend has moved forward a day. The race is on Saturday.
Malaysian viewing times
- Thu 24 Sept: FP1 4.30pm, FP2 8pm
- Fri 25 Sept: FP3 4.30pm, Qualifying 8pm
- Sat 26 Sept: Race 7pm (51 laps)
How Madrid changed the title fight
The first F1 race at the new Madring on 13 September didn't produce much overtaking, but it mattered a lot for the championship. Lando Norris started from pole. Kimi Antonelli, who cut corners twice while trying to pass him early on, won the race another way. Lance Stroll's brake failure brought out a Virtual Safety Car. Mercedes pitted Antonelli straight away, while McLaren's slow stop cost Norris the lead.
Antonelli won from Max Verstappen and Norris, his eighth win of 2026 and his second in a row after Monza. Behind them:
- Charles Leclerc finished fourth. Ferrari stayed out during the VSC, hoping for a full Safety Car that never came.
- George Russell was only fifth, and the gap to his teammate grew to 81 points.
- Lewis Hamilton retired after seven laps with brake problems, following first-corner contact with Verstappen. It cost him valuable points in the fight for second.
- Liam Lawson (6th), Franco Colapinto (7th), Oscar Piastri (8th), Arvid Lindblad (9th) and Nico Hulkenberg (10th) completed the top ten.
Standings (top six): Antonelli 292, Russell 211, Hamilton 191, Norris 186, Leclerc 167, Verstappen 145.
Why Baku could be good news for Mercedes
Baku's 2.2km flat-out run along the seafront is the longest full-throttle section of the season, which rewards engine power. Nico Rosberg thinks that suits Mercedes: "Engine power is always going to favour Mercedes in that way. We saw it in Monza." But the walled street circuit, including the 7.6m-wide castle section, punishes any mistake. Safety Cars are common there, which can open the door for anyone chasing the leader.
Toto Wolff has said Mercedes are holding their big W17 upgrade until Sepang, so the team just needs to "survive" Baku. If they come out of Baku with the gap unchanged, their rivals will arrive in Malaysia in a difficult spot.
What it means for Sepang
If Antonelli wins again, his lead could be close to 100 points when he arrives at Sepang. If he has a bad weekend in Baku, Malaysia suddenly becomes a race where the title could swing back. Either way, the championship will be very much alive when F1 gets to Sepang on 2 October.
Sources: Formula1.com; RacingNews365; Sky Sports; News.GP.