Azerbaijan Grand Prix Set for Saturday as Baku Begins Triple-Header

Formula One returns to Baku this week for an Azerbaijan Grand Prix that will run on Saturday rather than Sunday, with the schedule moved forward because of the country’s Remembrance Day.

The race is the 15th round of the 2026 championship and the opening event in a sequence of three consecutive race weekends. Drivers will complete 51 laps of the 6.003-kilometre street circuit for a total distance of 306.049 kilometres.

Baku combines long, high-speed straights with a narrow section through the old city. The 20-corner layout has produced seven different winners in nine editions, while safety-car periods have been a recurring feature. Only three races at the venue have been won from pole position.

Kimi Antonelli arrives as championship leader after eight victories this season. He holds an 81-point advantage over Mercedes teammate George Russell, while Lewis Hamilton and defending champion Lando Norris remain further behind.

The Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. local time. Its unusual Saturday slot also shifts practice to Thursday and qualifying to Friday, placing an extra premium on teams adapting quickly to the street circuit.