Facebook
Britain's News Portal
Around The Clock
BREAKING
Loading latest headlines…

Azerbaijan Grand Prix moves to Saturday for 2026 season

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Round 15 of the 2026 Formula 1 season, will take place on Saturday, 26 September, a first for the event. Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli leads the championship by 81 points.

  • The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held on Saturday, 26 September, for the first time.
  • Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli currently holds an 81-point lead in the championship.
  • The race weekend runs from 24-26 September in Baku.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the 15th round of the 2026 Formula 1 season, is set to make history by holding its main race on a Saturday for the first time. The event in Baku will run from 24-26 September.

This scheduling change was made following a request from the Azerbaijan promoter and government stakeholders, as the original Sunday date would have clashed with Azerbaijan Remembrance Day on 27 September. This national day of mourning commemorates military personnel who died in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh war in 2020.

In the previous race, the inaugural Madring Spanish Grand Prix, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli extended his championship lead to 81 points with a victory. McLaren's Lando Norris, who started on pole, recovered to third after losing position during a virtual safety car period, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished second.

The 51-lap race on Saturday, 26 September, will begin at 12:00 BST. Early weather forecasts predict sunny conditions for the entire event in Baku, with temperatures expected to reach around 25C on race day, accompanied by a fresh breeze.

Why this matters: The shift to a Saturday race for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix marks a notable change in the Formula 1 calendar, influenced by local commemorative events.

What this means for you: You can follow live commentary of the race across BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website and app, or by asking most smart speakers to "play 5 Live".

Related Articles

Get the news that matters.

Join thousands of readers getting the best of British news straight to their inbox.