Why is F1 racing at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on a Saturday?
The F1 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix is on a Saturday this year. This is why...
Formula 1’s next race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will feature a unique twist, with the race taking place on a Saturday.
With F1 concluding its European leg of the 2026 season at the Spanish Grand Prix last time out in Madrid, the world championship heads to Baku next for the start of a triple-header of races across Asia.
The first of these is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which plays host to the 15th round of the campaign on Saturday 26 September.
But why is Baku hosting its grand prix on a Saturday this year?
The reason the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix is taking place on a Saturday is because of the Azerbaijan Remembrance Day, which occurs every year on 27 September.
What is the Azerbaijan Remembrance Day?
Azerbaijan Remembrance Day is a national day of mourning in the country dedicated to the military personnel of the Azerbaijani Armed Forced who lost their lives during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War.
The armed conflict, otherwise known as The Patriotic War, lasted one month and two weeks in 2020, with 2,783 Azerbaijani solders killed during the fighting. The result was declared an Azerbaijani victory.
The change to this year’s schedule was made to respect the Azerbaijan Remembrance Day “following a request from the Azerbaijan promoter and relevant government stakeholders”.
As a result, the entire weekend has been brought forwards by a day. Media day, which is typically held on Thursdays, will be moved to Wednesday.
First and second practice will be held on Thursday, with final practice and qualifying taking place on Friday, before the 51-lap Azerbaijan Grand Prix is staged on Saturday.
Azerbaijan not the only Saturday F1 race
It is not the only - or the first time - that F1 has held a race on a Saturday.
Since joining the calendar in 2023, the Las Vegas Grand Prix has been held on a Saturday.
The 2024 editions of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix were also staged on Saturdays due to the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The 1985 South African Grand Prix took place on a Saturday, and the British Grand Prix used to be held on a Saturday until 1975 when it switched to Sunday.
What time is the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
The schedule for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend is as follows:
Thursday
FP1 - 9:30am BST - 10:30am BST
FP2 - 1pm BST - 2pm BST
Friday
FP3 - 9:30am BST - 10:30am BST
Qualifying - 1pm BST - 2pm BST
Saturday
Race - 12pm start BST
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