2026 Azerbaijan GP: Why Baku runs on Saturday

The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku moves to Saturday, with Thursday practice and Friday qualifying, while tyre options and key race themes come into focus.

The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku will take place on Saturday, with practice starting on Thursday and qualifying on Friday. BBC Sport and Motorsport.com both reported the revised timetable, while BBC Sport also published details of its coverage across 24-26 September.

Formula1.com reported that tyre strategy is one of the main pre-race themes at the Baku City Circuit, with teams weighing the pit-stop options available for race day. In a separate preview, the same outlet highlighted five points to watch when the lights go out in Baku.

Motorsport.com also framed the weekend as an unusual stop on the Formula 1 calendar because the on-track action has been brought forward by a day. With the schedule compressed into a Thursday-to-Saturday format, attention now turns to how teams handle qualifying and the strategic choices available for the grand prix.