2026 Azerbaijan GP schedule: F1 start times, TV and streaming for Baku

Formula 1 heads to Baku next for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with an unusual Thursday-to-Saturday race weekend following the championship’s debut at Madring. After one week away from the track, Ferrari and the rest of the grid will return to action on the demanding Baku City Circuit, where the Grand Prix itself will take place on Saturday rather than Sunday.

Track activity begins on Thursday, September 24, while the traditional pre-event press conference is brought forward by one day to Wednesday. The complete weekend will again be available on TV and streaming through Sky, with every practice session, qualifying and the race covered live.

The Azerbaijan round is the 15th event on the revised 2026 Formula 1 calendar, immediately following the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. Fans looking for more background on the venue can also explore the ScuderiaFans Azerbaijan Grand Prix and Baku City Circuit guide.

2026 Azerbaijan GP schedule and F1 start times

The Baku weekend follows a compressed timetable, with both opening practice sessions held on Thursday, final practice and qualifying on Friday, and the Grand Prix taking place on Saturday.

Thursday, September 24

Free Practice 1: 10:30
Free Practice 2: 14:00

Friday, September 25

Free Practice 3: 10:30
Qualifying: 14:00

Saturday, September 26

Race: 13:00

How to watch the 2026 Azerbaijan GP on TV and streaming

The entire Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend will be shown live on Sky, with streaming available through SkyGo and Now TV. Free practice, qualifying and the race will all be carried by Sky Sport F1 HD.

Thursday – Free Practice

FP1 – Thursday, September 24 at 10:30: live on Sky Sport F1 HD; streaming via SkyGo or Now TV
FP2 – Thursday, September 24 at 14:00: live on Sky Sport F1 HD; streaming via SkyGo or Now TV

Friday – Free Practice and qualifying

FP3 – Friday, September 25 at 10:30: live on Sky Sport F1 HD; streaming via SkyGo or Now TV
Q1, Q2 and Q3 – Friday, September 25 at 14:00: live on Sky Sport F1 HD; streaming via SkyGo or Now TV

Saturday – Race

Race – Saturday, September 26 at 13:00: live on Sky Sport F1 HD; streaming via SkyGo or Now TV

Follow the Azerbaijan Grand Prix live on ScuderiaFans.com

ScuderiaFans.com will provide live coverage throughout the Baku weekend, including dedicated qualifying updates and a race live page featuring statistics, infographics and images from the circuit. Readers can also follow the latest Ferrari and Formula 1 updates across Facebook, Threads, X, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

Baku’s combination of street-circuit corners and high-speed sections makes it one of the more distinctive venues on the calendar. Previous winners, poles and other historical benchmarks across Formula 1 venues can be explored through the F1 Circuit Records & Statistics section.

Formula 2 returns in Baku

Formula 2 will also return to action immediately after the Madrid round for its Azerbaijan event. The gaps between the leading drivers narrowed slightly in Spain, adding further pressure to the 2026 title battle as the championship approaches its closing rounds.

The streets of Baku will therefore provide another important test for the Formula 2 contenders, with the standings set to change again by Saturday evening. As usual, the feeder series will also be broadcast live on Sky channels.