F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026: Circuit Details and Schedules

Formula One has many exciting moments and talented drivers throughout the season. The upcoming Formula One race will take place September 24-26, 2026, at the Baku City Circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan. Several drivers have already delivered strong performances with smooth driving on the Baku City Circuit. Every team will aim to support its drivers to deliver standout performances and compete for podium finishes. The highly anticipated Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 will mark the 15th round of the Formula One calendar.

Formula One is currently in the middle stage of the 2026 calendar. After the halfway point of the season, the Formula 1 standings show giant differences among the drivers’ and teams’ performances. The Baku City Circuit will host the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with drivers showing comfortable driving styles. Kimi Antonelli dominates the drivers’ standings after earning his eighth win of the season at the Spanish Grand Prix. Elite driver Lando Norris maintains his championship battle with Antonelli, trailing in the standings.

Event Details for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026

Baku GP 2026: Latest News and Circuit Highlights

The highly anticipated 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will start with a practice session. Later, the F1 event will hold the qualifying round at the Baku City Circuit. The F1 event will deliver a three-day racing weekend. Several drivers have retired from previous races after facing difficult challenges on the track.

Formula 1’s Memorable Rivalries

Kimi Antonelli finished in first place for Mercedes. He scored a full 25 points in the previous race. Antonelli recorded consecutive victories in his previous two races. Max Verstappen overtook Lando Norris to finish second for Red Bull Racing. Norris also took third for McLaren. Charles Leclerc and George Russell finished 4th and 5th, respectively.

Liam Lawson finished in 6th place for the Red Bull Racing team. Franco Colapinto finished 7th for Alpine with six points. Oscar Piastri overtook Arvid Lindblad to finish eighth for McLaren. Nico Hulkenberg finished 10th for the Audi team.

Esteban Ocon finished 11th for the Haas F1 Team, and he earned zero points. Pierre Gasly and Gabriel Bortoleto finished 12th for Alpine and 13th for Audi, respectively. Yuki Tsunodaearned 14th place for Racing Bulls. Alexander Albon overtook Oliver Bearman to finish 16th for the Haas F1 Team. Fernando Alonso and Valtteri Bottas finished 17th and 18th for Aston Martin and Cadillac, respectively.

Lewis Hamilton retired on lap seven after suffering a severe brake system failure. Lance Stroll retired because of brake problems during a virtual Safety Car. Carlos Sainz retired for Williams on lap 43 after suffering extensive floor damage from a collision. Sergio Perez retired in the latter stages of the race. Perez was forced to leave due to a suspected water system issue on his Cadillac. These drivers were classified in the Did Not Finish (DNF) category at the previous race. These drivers will aim for better results in the upcoming F1 race.

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026: Baku City Circuit

• The Baku City Circuit was inaugurated in 2016 for the European Grand Prix. This circuit has combined the historical character of Baku with the modern development of Azerbaijan’s capital. The Formula One event was formally known as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2017. The Baku City Circuit is a modern classic, producing surprise podiums, safety car dramas, and a variety of race winners.
• This circuit features an extreme combination of high-speed sections and slower technical corners. Its layout has a unique character on the modern grid, with a castle section and a seafront blast. This circuit layout has a low-drag, low-downforce setup. The Castle Section requires strong mechanical grip and stability under low-speed braking.

• Max Verstappen finished on the podium in the previous year’s race. He won largely because he started from pole position. Which driver will take a victory in the upcoming race?
• Verstappen also set the fastest lap record in last year’s race. He set a time of 1:43.388 on lap 50. He was supported by his Red Bull Racing-Honda RBPT team. The average speed around the circuit ranges from 200 km/h to 215 km/h during the race. This time, who will clinch a victory in the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix?

Live Stream for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 will be broadcast on Sky Sports F1 via NOW in the United Kingdom. The Sky Sports app, or later on free-to-air on Channel 4, will show highlights of the Formula One race.

In Australia, the F1 race will be available on Kayo Sports and Foxtel via Fox Sports. The Kayo Sports stream shows every practice, qualifying session, and the main race live or at pace. Foxtel will air live coverage on Fox Sports (Channel 506).

Fans can watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Apple TV in the United States. An Apple TV+ subscription provides all practice sessions, the qualifying round, and the main race.

In France, viewers can follow the F1 race on Canal+ or via F1 TV Premium. This platform will give live coverage of the practice sessions, qualifying, and the Grand Prix race. F1 TV Premium offers a subscription to view the Formula One event.

In Germany, the F1 race will air on Sky Deutschland. This platform will give pay-TV live coverage of all practice sessions, qualifying, and the main race. In addition, this race will be available on RTL, free-to-air, depending on their sublicensing agreements for the 2026 season.

SuperSport will air the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 in South Africa. Some other options include DStv, the DStv stream, and Showmax, which provides a subscription.

In Spain, fans can watch the F1 race on the DAZN F1 channel. This platform will include all practice sessions, qualifying rounds, and the main race.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 will be streamed on Sky Sport F1 or Sky Sport Now in Italy. In addition, TVB/TV8 will select sessions or highlights to air during the F1 race.

Sky Sport Now or via F1 TV Pro will air the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 in New Zealand. Other options include F1 TV Pro, which will officially be a top streaming service with live feeds.

FanCode will broadcast the F1 race in India. Other options include the official F1 TV channel for F1 motorsport events.

Fans can also see the race live stream on bet365.com, where eligible users can access coverage on race day.

F1 Schedule for Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026

September 24, 2026 (Thursday)

September 25, 2026 (Friday)

September 26, 2026 (Saturday)

Note: Baku is 4 hours ahead of UTC. Timetable subject to change.

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026: Overview of the Top Drivers

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen finished second at the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix for the Red Bull Racing team. He currently sits in sixth place in the Drivers’ standings with 145 points.

Verstappen delivered a solid management of track position against Lando Norris in the final laps. In qualifying, he showed a spread strategy, particularly through the final sector. He experienced minor handling issues during practice. Max Verstappen will aim to overcome minor handling problems and challenge for victory in the upcoming race.

Kimi Antonelli

Kimi Antonelli recorded two consecutive victories in his previous two races. He started from P2 to achieve better results in the race. Antonelli earned a qualifying time of 1:31.835. He recorded a race time of 1:34:23.754 to earn the victory. He showed the race lead and managed his pace to finish the race 4.351 seconds ahead of Verstappen.

This victory extended his Drivers’ Championship lead to 292 points. He is at the top of the Formula One drivers’ standings this season. His teammate George Russell follows in second position with 211 points in the F1 standings. The Mercedes team has provided strong support to both drivers. Kimi Antonelli will look to claim another win at the Baku City Circuit.

Lando Norris

Lando Norris is one of the strong contenders in Formula 1. He delivered a strong pace but struggled with inconsistent form at the previous race. Norris was difficult to assess during the race but showed strong pace in qualifying. He demonstrated his pace during qualifying despite challenging conditions on the track. He recovered from a difficult situation to earn a podium finish in P3.

He struggled with a slow pit stop, which cost him track position in the previous race. Lando Norris remains a leading contender at the front of the grid as the reigning world champion. He faced an up-and-down battle in the title chase against consistent front-runners like Kimi Antonelli. He has shown highly consistent form in qualifying and races this season. Lando Norris will look to capitalize and secure a win at the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.