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Formula 1 arrives in Baku for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a championship that is starting to look one-sided and a race weekend that has been shuffled off its usual slot. The Formula 1 Qatar Airways Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 runs from 24 to 26 September at the Baku City Circuit, the fifteenth round of the season and the ninth edition of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Here is every session time, the full list of TV channels broadcasting the race around the world, and what is actually at stake when the lights go out over 51 laps of one of the calendar’s most unforgiving street tracks.
Why the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 Runs on Saturday, Not Sunday
The headline scheduling story is the date. The Grand Prix was originally pencilled in for Sunday 27 September, but has been brought forward 24 hours to Saturday 26 September to accommodate Remembrance Day in Azerbaijan. The change came at the request of the promoter alongside relevant government stakeholders, and F1 signed off on it.
That matters for more than the calendar. A Saturday race compresses the whole weekend: qualifying moves to Friday, and teams lose the usual overnight window between grid-setting and lights-out. On a circuit where setup compromises between the long straight and the tight castle section are already brutal, less thinking time between sessions is a genuine variable.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 Schedule: Every Session Time in Baku
All sessions run at UTC+4 local time in Baku. Converted times below cover UTC, the UK and US Eastern.
| Session | Date | Baku (UTC+4) | UTC | UK (BST) | US Eastern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Practice 1 | Thu 24 Sept | 12:30 | 08:30 | 09:30 | 04:30 |
| Free Practice 2 | Thu 24 Sept | 16:00 | 12:00 | 13:00 | 08:00 |
| Free Practice 3 | Fri 25 Sept | 12:30 | 08:30 | 09:30 | 04:30 |
| Qualifying | Fri 25 Sept | 16:00 | 12:00 | 13:00 | 08:00 |
| Race (51 laps) | Sat 26 Sept | 15:00 | 11:00 | 12:00 | 07:00 |
Three full practice sessions remain on the programme despite the reshuffle, so teams keep their usual mileage. Always double-check your local listings, as broadcasters occasionally shift coverage windows for a non-standard race day like this one.
Where to Watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026: Key Markets
If you only need the big five, start here:
- United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland — Sky Sports, with Channel 4 also carrying coverage
- USA — Apple TV
- Australia — Fox Sports, Foxtel, Kayo
- Latin America — ESPN
- Azerbaijan (host nation) — Idman Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 TV Channels: Full Country-by-Country List
| Territory | Broadcaster(s) |
|---|---|
| Africa | SuperSport |
| Albania | DigitAlb |
| Armenia | FastSports |
| Australia | Fox Sports, Foxtel, Kayo |
| Austria | Servus TV, ORF, Sky |
| Azerbaijan | Idman Azerbaijan |
| Belgium | RTBF, Play Sports |
| Bosnia | Arena Sport |
| Brazil | TV Globo, sportv |
| Bulgaria | TV Nova |
| Cambodia | beIN SPORTS |
| Canada | RDS, RDS 2, TSN, Noovo |
| Caribbean | Rush Sports |
| China | Shanghai TV, Guandong Television Channel, Tencent |
| Chinese Taipei | Videoland, ELTA |
| Croatia | RTL |
| Cyprus | OmegaTV |
| Czech Republic & Slovakia | Nova |
| Denmark | TV3, Viaplay |
| Estonia | Go3 Estonia, TV3 |
| Eurasia | Setanta Sports |
| Finland | Viaplay |
| France | Canal+ |
| Germany | Sky Deutschland, RTL |
| Greece | ANT1, ANT1+ |
| Hong Kong | beIN SPORTS, Now Sports 1 & 2 |
| Hungary | M4 (MTVA Sports Channel) |
| Iceland | Viaplay |
| India | FanCode, TATA Play FanCode Sports |
| Indonesia | beIN SPORTS |
| In-Ship & In-Flight | Sport 24, Sport 24 Extra |
| Israel | Sport 5 |
| Italy | Sky Italia |
| Japan | Fuji TV |
| Kosovo | Arena Sport, Artmotion Kosovo |
| Laos | beIN SPORTS |
| Latin America | ESPN |
| Latvia | Go3 Latvia, TV3 |
| Lithuania | Go3 Lithuania, TV3 |
| Luxembourg | RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg |
| Macedonia | Sport Klub |
| Malaysia & Brunei | beIN SPORTS |
| Malta | PBS Malta |
| MENA | beIN Sports |
| Mexico | TUDN, Sky Sports, Izzi |
| Montenegro | Arena Sport |
| Myanmar | Canal+ Sports, Canal+ ACTION |
| Netherlands | Viaplay |
| New Zealand | Sky NZ |
| Norway | V sport 1, Viaplay |
| Papua New Guinea & Pacific Islands | TVWAN Sports |
| Philippines | beIN SPORTS |
| Poland | Eleven Sports |
| Portugal | DAZN |
| Romania | Antena |
| Serbia | Arena Sport |
| Singapore | beIN SPORTS |
| Slovenia | Kanal A, VOYO |
| South Korea | Coupang Play |
| Spain & Andorra | DAZN |
| Sweden | Viaplay |
| Switzerland | SRF, RSI, RTS, Sky |
| Thailand | beIN SPORTS |
| Turkey | beIN SPORTS |
| Ukraine | Setanta Ukraine |
| United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland | Sky Sports, Channel 4 |
| USA | Apple TV |
| Vietnam | TV360 |
Why Baku Matters: Antonelli Leads the F1 Title Race by 81 Points
Kimi Antonelli arrives in Azerbaijan off his eighth win of the season at the brand-new Madring, and the gaps behind him are widening. He tops the Drivers’ Championship on 292 points, with teammate George Russell 81 adrift and Lewis Hamilton a full 101 points back after his retirement in Spain. Mercedes lead the Constructors’ standings on 503 points from Ferrari (358) and McLaren (306).
| Pos | Driver | Points | Gap to leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | 292 | — |
| 2 | George Russell | 211 | -81 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | 191 | -101 |
Russell needs Baku to be the weekend he claws something back. One other name to watch on the grid: Isack Hadjar returns to the Red Bull seat after the wrist injury that sidelined him for three rounds.
Baku City Circuit: Why the Azerbaijan Grand Prix Rarely Goes to Plan
This is the tenth Formula 1 race at the Baku City Circuit, run over 51 laps, and it has a longer history of chaos than almost anywhere else on the calendar:
- A flat-out seafront straight that turns slipstreams into real overtakes
- The narrow, blind climb through the old castle section, where nobody passes
- A safety car and red flag record that regularly rewrites the finishing order
That is the case for setting an alarm. A comfortable championship lead has never felt entirely safe here. For Azerbaijan Grand Prix odds and race-by-race analysis, Tips.gg has the numbers broken down.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 FAQ
When is the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
Saturday 26 September 2026, at 15:00 local time (UTC+4) in Baku. The full weekend runs 24 to 26 September.
Why is the race on a Saturday?
It was moved forward from Sunday 27 September to accommodate Remembrance Day in Azerbaijan, following a request from the promoter and government stakeholders.
How many laps is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
51 laps of the Baku City Circuit.
Where can I watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in the UK?
Sky Sports carries the race, with Channel 4 also broadcasting coverage.
Where can I watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in the USA?
Apple TV.
When is qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026?
Friday 25 September at 16:00 local time (UTC+4), following FP3 earlier the same day.
Who leads the F1 championship going into Baku?
Kimi Antonelli, on 292 points, 81 clear of George Russell and 101 clear of Lewis Hamilton.
Which tyres will be used in Baku?
Pirelli’s C3, C4 and C5 compounds, running as hard, medium and soft.