The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held on a Saturday for the first time since the event joined the Formula 1 calendar in 2017, changing the on-track timetable and broadcast windows for Round 15 in Baku from 24-26 September. Lights out for the 51‑lap race is scheduled for 12:00 BST, with pre-race coverage beginning at 11:00; local time for the start is 15:00.
Formula 1 said the slot change followed "a request from the Azerbaijan promoter and relevant government stakeholders". The weekend was already shifted to September after a calendar swap with Japan in 2024, and organisers moved the race day to avoid clashing with Azerbaijan Remembrance Day on 27 September, a national day of mourning for military personnel who died during the Second Nagorno‑Karabakh war in 2020.
Last time out, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli extended his championship lead to 81 points by winning the Madring Spanish Grand Prix. That race saw McLaren's Lando Norris take pole with a stand-out qualifying lap, lose the lead during a virtual safety car sequence and recover to third, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished second after ceding position to Lewis Hamilton early on. In last year's Baku race Verstappen finished first, George Russell second and Carlos Sainz third, giving Williams its best result since 2021.
BBC coverage will carry live commentary across Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app. Listeners can also use most smart speakers by asking them to "play 5 Live". The broadcaster will carry practice, qualifying and race commentary, and for the first time this year the post-race show from every grand prix will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer and YouTube. Fans are also encouraged to follow the Chequered Flag podcast for event analysis.
All session times are given in BST. Thursday, 24 September, features first practice at 09:30-10:30 and second practice at 13:00-14:00. Friday, 25 September, has third practice at 09:30-10:30 and qualifying at 13:00-14:00. Saturday, 26 September, hosts the race at 12:00 with build-up from 11:00.
The early weather outlook predicts sunny conditions across the weekend, with Thursday highs near 27C, qualifying day around 24C with strong winds, and race day about 25C with a fresh breeze.
