Azerbaijan GP schedule: why race is a day earlier
Unlike every other race this year, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will not take place on Sunday next week. The Formula 1 weekend was already brought forward by a day following a request from the government and the race promoter in Baku.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix has been rescheduled to take place on Saturday, a day earlier than originally planned. Unlike all other Formula 1 races this year, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held on a Saturday. The weekend was moved up by a day following a request from the Azerbaijani government and race promoter in Baku. This decision was made to avoid clashing with Azeri Remembrance Day, which will be observed on September 27.
This is not the first time this has happened, as the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were also held on Saturdays due to Ramadan in 2024. The first two free practice sessions will occur on Thursday, followed by Friday's FP3 and Qualifying. The Grand Prix itself will commence on Saturday at 12:00 GMT. In addition to the main race, the feeder series, Formula 2, will host a second feature race in Azerbaijan.
The schedule for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix includes additional sessions that are only possible due to the weekend's timing. After the Azerbaijan GP, Formula 1 will return to its usual race weekend format for the final two rounds of the 2026 season, which will be held in Doha and Yas Marina.
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