Azerbaijan GP moved to Saturday to avoid Remembrance Day clash
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 19, 2026
Saturday schedule
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will run Saturday at Baku City Circuit after the race was moved up one day to avoid a clash with Azerbaijan Remembrance Day on Sunday. The change came after a request from the Azerbaijan promoter and government stakeholders. The event is the 15th race of the 2026 Formula 1 season and will cover 51 laps on the Baku street circuit. Media day is set for Wednesday before the race weekend, then practice will take place Thursday and Friday with qualifying on Friday. Moving the race away from Sunday keeps the weekend clear of a national observance and gives the event a Saturday spotlight.
Baku race weekend
Broadcast coverage will be broad in both Britain and the United States. In the U.K., qualifying is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday and the Grand Prix for noon Saturday. Every session will air on Sky Sports F1, Sky Sports Main Event, the Sky Sports app and NOW streaming, while Channel 4 will carry UK highlights. In the U.S., subscribers can watch every session on Apple TV through a new F1 channel. The on-track setting looks ready for a classic Baku weekend. The forecast calls for warm, dry and sunny conditions with temperatures in the mid-20s Celsius. The circuit also has a profile that can change a race quickly. Its long main straight gives drivers a chance to attack, but the narrow street sections and tight walls leave little room for error. The circuit’s frequent overtaking and incident potential also raise the chance of Safety Car interruptions. That combination gives teams work to do across practice, qualifying and the 51-lap race.
Antonelli and Verstappen
The championship backdrop adds another layer to the trip to Azerbaijan. Kimi Antonelli arrives after winning eight races this season and leads teammate George Russell by 81 points. Max Verstappen adds another layer of history. He won in Baku last year and owns the most Baku victories among current drivers with two. That record matters on a circuit where speed on the straight has to connect with precision in the street sections. The race also sits with eight rounds scheduled after Baku, so there is still plenty of time for the standings to shift. A good result on Saturday can shape momentum for the teams still chasing points, and a bad session can leave a driver scrambling with so much of the season left. Baku’s tight walls, potential for incidents and potential Safety Car interruptions make that swing more likely than on many other tracks. The move to Saturday changes the calendar, not the challenge. The field still faces a street race that can reward patience, punish mistakes and alter the tone of the season’s final stretch.
